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Obituary
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Doreen Ruth FitzGibbon on March 14,
2023.
Doreen was born on July 12, 1923 near Perth, Ontario. She was adopted at age six by Canon
Christopher C. Simpson and his wife Laura. It was an ideal match. Ever the stage mother, Laura had a perfect pupil. Tootsie Ruth, as Laura called her, danced, skated, played the piano and organ, and won oratory contests for her poetry recitations. She excelled at everything she did. Raised in Coniston, Ontario, she was sent in her teens to St. Mildred’s College, a private girls’ school in Toronto.
At twenty Doreen married Alex Pearson, chief geologist of McIntyre Mines and had their daughter
Patricia in 1943. They spent 14 years in Timmins where she was active in the local theatre group and
was lead in productions such as Blythe Spirit, which she would recall throughout her life. She was also a dedicated tennis player.She fostered two children, Sharon and Robbie, who were orphaned during the war, until they were adopted.
During her second marriage to John FitzGibbon, a civil engineer, in charge of facilities at the American Air Force Base in Goose Bay, Labrador, Doreen discovered her love of painting, especially portraits of the Inuit whom she met while living there. She was also the host on a CBC TV show called Goosefeathers in which she interviewed guests and talked about local happenings.
Doreen’s family’s love for Muskoka came from summers spent in the 60’s at her cottage on Lake
Muskoka. She painted the landscape, perfected pie making, and loved everything about it.
John flew a Cessna 172 and taught her how to fly it. Doreen adored her toy poodles and became quite a successful breeder as well. With her husband John, now in charge of operations at Pearson International Airport, and their foster daughter Martha, she settled in Georgetown Ontario where she turned her basement into a studio to teach children art. Always close to her students, she was so proud of Tina, Christie, and Hunter, loved her little friends down the way, Makayla and Taylor, and so many others and spoke of them often.
In her seventies she took up ceramic work, producing the most beautiful porcelain dolls. In addition to all the paintings of flowers and the smell of turpentine, her house was filled with doll molds, wigs, eyes, clothes patterns, sewing machines, material, lace, and buttons.
Doreen loved to cook, bake bread, was notorious for her “1950’s” casseroles. She loved to read, knit, sew, embroider, needlepoint, and was a great games player. Her favourites included contract bridge, chess, cards, scrabble, and mah jong in her gazebo by the pool. She also loved tea time and enjoyed each cup with too much milk and sugar.
She had many medical challenges in her life, most notably her operation in 1985 to remove a brain
tumour sitting on her trigeminal nerve. It was the first successful operation of its kind and the video was referenced for many years.
Doreen enjoyed watching figure skating, Hockey Night in Canada, the Blue Jays, but disliked car races which John loved. She was especially proud when she watched her great grandchildren race downhill skiing.
After John passed away in 2016 she spent two and half years at Birkdale House in Milton where she
continued teaching art and entertaining her fellow residents with her captivating and perhaps slightly embellished life stories. She even had a couple of boyfriends. Never one to shy away from modernity, she set up her own Linked-In profile at the age of 91 and stated she was still going strong. Even her Facebook profile was recently updated to say that she attained a Degree in Psychology from the University of Toronto, which was not true but made us all chuckle.
Described by many to be glamourous and talented, avant-garde while being a bit old Hollywood, she
had a gift for making everyone feel like she had a special love just for them. She will be so missed by everyone who knew her. She is survived by her daughter, Patricia Laxton (nee Pearson) (Howard), her grandchildren Laurel Crawford (Angus), Alexandra Scott, David Laxton (Marina), Caroline Laxton, Stephanie Walker (Jordan), and great grandchildren Candace and Jack Crawford, Kali and Izzy Walker, and Alexandra (Sachy) Laxton.
In memory of Doreen, donations to The Bennett Centre in Georgetown would be most appreciated. They took such good care of her in her final years and especially kept her safe during the Covid-19 pandemic. We will be forever grateful. www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/bennett-village/
Condolences and personal stories may be sent to: Jones Funeral Home in Georgetown
July 12 1923
March 14 2023
Death notice for the town of: Georgetown, Province: Ontario
death notice Doreen Fitzgibbon July 12 1923
March 14 2023
obituaries notice Doreen Fitzgibbon July 12 1923
March 14 2023
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Doreen Fitzgibbon July 12 1923
March 14 2023 and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.
