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Dorothy May Brockbank Obituary
Dorothy passed away peacefully at the Allendale Long Term Care Residence in Milton, on May 8, 2025 at the age of 97. She was born May 3, 1928 in Toronto to Charles Henry Wallis and Gladys Morcom Jones.
Dorothy was predeceased by her husband Jack and is survived by her daughter Donna (Loris), son Bill (Renee) and grandchildren Jennifer, Mark (Charlotte), Connor (Alisa), Eric and Shane.
A Memorial Visitation and Reception will be held on Sunday, June 1 from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm in the Upper Visitation Suite and Lounge at the McKersie and Early Funeral Home, located at 114 Main St. E. Milton. (There is an elevator for those who require assistance)
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The Life Story of Dorothy May Brockbank (nee Wallis)
Dorothy was born on May 3, 1928 to Charles Henry Wallis and Gladys Morcom Jones, both immigrants from England, who met on a ship en-route to Canada in 1912. She was a younger sister to Frank, born in 1926.
The family lived at 5 Bexley Crescent in the Roselands neighbourhood in the west-end of Toronto. Dorothy attended Roselands Junior Public School, a block away from her home. Eight years at Roselands School left her with many friends, with whom she continued to communicate throughout her lifetime. Dorothy attended York Memorial Collegiate Institute during the war years, finishing a four year program at a time when many, especially women, did not graduate high school.
Dorothy’s first 17 years of life consisted of the Great Depression, followed by the Second World War. During her teen years Dorothy did much of the shopping, cooking and cleaning for her father, brother and herself, since her mother was hospitalized. During this time Dorothy, like many people from that generation, gained the ability to “stretch a dollar”, an attribute she maintained throughout her life, even after her frugal ways were no longer necessary. As an adolescent, Dorothy attended the Church of the Good Shepherd at Weston Road and Eglinton, where she joined the AYPA, enjoying group activities and attendance at a camp on Lake Couchiching.
Although Dorothy never considered herself athletic, a tennis racket did contribute to meeting her future husband. As the story goes, Jack Brockbank went to the Wallis home to return a tennis racket to Dorothy’s brother Frank, and guess who opened the door? We don’t know if it was love at first sight, but they were married 2 years later.
Dorothy married William John Brockbank (Jack) on August 2nd 1952 and they moved into the family home with Jack’s mother, Eva. The house at 9 Sunnybrae Crescent was built by Jack’s father and grandfather on a property in Mount Dennis, Toronto, that was formerly an apple orchard. The property had a large side lot, which left plenty of space for fruit trees, a greenhouse, a raspberry patch and a vegetable garden. Jack and Dorothy spent much time and energy tending the gardens at 9 Sunnybrae. Jack worked at CIL Paints on Castlefield Road near Caledonia Street in Toronto where he was a mechanic in the maintenance department, until his sudden death at age 50.
Dorothy and Jack had two children, Donna Corless born in 1955 and William (4th) John (Bill) born in 1957. In the early years of their marriage, the family vacation consisted of two weeks at a rented cottage on Gull Lake in Haliburton, near Minden. In later years, Dorothy became the front seat navigator for driving holidays throughout Ontario, the east coast of Canada and the northern US. The family piled into the station wagon, dog included, and with a tent trailer behind and a canoe on top they were off on a trip. With a map on her lap and a cooler full of food, Dorothy really enjoyed these road trips. Dorothy obtained her driver’s licence in the late 1960’s and independently navigated everywhere she needed to go, as long as she didn’t have to drive on the 401!
Donna completed the Early Childhood Education program at Ryerson University and then obtained a Bachelor of Education degree. She pursued her dream of working in the education field in a variety of positions, with a focus in special education. Bill graduated from the University of Waterloo in Civil Engineering, a profession he continued throughout his working life, with the Reinforced Earth Company. Dorothy’s high school education, which included the skills of “shorthand” notes, typing and excellent spelling skills, came in handy for assisting Bill with his high school and university essays.
Donna married Loris Zuccato and they have two children, Jennifer and Mark. Bill married Sandra Thomson and has three sons, Connor, Eric and Shane. In 1977, the year that her husband Jack passed away, Dorothy was 49. Donna had just been married that spring and Bill was away at university, so she was alone in her home, except for her golden retriever, Shawn, who became her constant companion.
With the loss of her husband and exodus of her two children, Dorothy got busy with a drastic change to her life. She worked at two part-time jobs, sold the extra property at her home, increased her involvement at Mount Dennis United Church, involved herself with many volunteer activities and continued to pursue her hobbies. After working for a lawyer assisting with wills and estates, Dorothy went to work at West Park Hospital as an administrative assistant in both the social work department and the pharmacy.
Over the years Dorothy volunteered with Meals on Wheels, West Park Hospital and Humber Memorial Hospital. She was tireless in her commitment to helping others through these volunteer positions and always had time to listen to and support her many friends in the church community and beyond. Her hobbies included sewing, knitting, reading and baking. As well as membership in many church groups, she joined a variety of community activities, including a walking group, a book club and she was an avid attendee at Learning Unlimited.
Following Jack’s death, Dorothy was fortunate to become close friends with a neighbour from Sunnybrae Crescent, George Blanchard, who had lost his wife to cancer many years before. George was recently retired from De Havilland Aircraft, where he had worked for 49 years and had been the production control manager during the Second World War. Dorothy and George were companions for over 30 years. Together they enjoyed square dancing, occasional sailing on Lake Ontario on very calm days, time at the cottage and trips to Florida with Dorothy’s brother Frank and sister-in-law Mary.
The cottage on Harp Lake, purchased by Jack and Dorothy in 1971, was her favourite place, where she had many friends, walked daily on the cottage road and swam to and from the neighbour’s raft. She greatly enjoyed swimming in the lake, always doing the sidestroke, to ensure that her face remained out of the water. She watched her grandchildren learn to fish, swim, sail and compete in the annual Harp Lake Regatta, which they continue to do.
After selling the family home on Sunnybrae Crescent in 2004, Dorothy moved into a large 3 bedroom unit in the condominium complex at Lambton Square on Scarlett Rd. a short distance from her childhood home. She made many friends in this community and especially enjoyed being close to her friend Anne, who lived in the building next door. Anne and Dorothy went on many trips together, including Europe and the east coast of Canada. Dorothy continued an active life into her mid-eighties, including driving by herself to her cottage. She also completed her own income tax with pencil and paper calculations, her book keeping skills still sharp.
Dorothy lived independently and continued to drive until age 87, when the progression of vascular dementia required that she move into assisted living at the VIVA retirement home, in Mississauga. After residing for 3 years at the retirement home, Dorothy moved to Allendale Long Term Care Facility in Milton, in June 2018. At Allendale, she was included in many activities, especially enjoying music therapy. Her friendly smile and calm demeanor ensured that she was well-liked by staff and fellow residents. Dorothy passed away on May 8, 2025 at the age of 97.
Dorothy was much loved and is fondly remembered by her family and many friends.
To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Dorothy, please visit our Tree Store.
2025
Death notice for the town of: East Milton, Province: Ontario
death notice Dorothy May Brockbank 2025
obituaries notice Dorothy May Brockbank 2025
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Dorothy May Brockbank 2025 and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.
