Elizabeth DOE

DOE, Elizabeth
Peacefully on March 12, 2014. The daughter of the late Dr. K.C.W. Dean and Olive Shourds of Caledonia, Ontario. Beloved wife of the late Dr. L.A. Earlston Doe and mother of Edward (Pilar), Keith (Janet) and Tersh (Suzan). Predeceased by son, Leary. Loving grandmother of Catherine (Paul), Eduardo (Joycelyn), Martin (Lauren), Madelaine (Anthony), Eleanor (Ken), and Learmont. Great-grandmother of Emiliée. Elizabeth was a loving, determined and strong-willed woman. Although she was born prematurely and was not expected to live, she out-smarted the doctors of the time and recently celebrated her 95th birthday. As the eldest with four younger brothers, she carried a lot of responsibility as a child. At age 21, she graduated from Toronto University with a Bachelor of Household Science. She took flying lessons with the hope of helping with the war effort by ferrying supplies across the Atlantic. When that did not pan out, she joined the navy and served as the dietician at an RCN hospital in Scotland. That is where she met and married Earlston, a handsome young corvette navigator. After VE Day, they were preparing for a posting to the Pacific when VJ was declared. They raised four children in their very busy post-war life; living in Nanaimo, British Columbia; Toronto, Ontario; City Island, New York; Maracaibo, Venezuela; Woods Hole, Massachusetts; Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and finally settling in Ottawa. Elizabeth was a member of the Canadian Federation of University Women. She was very involved in their Diplomatic Service group and was a founding member of its snowshoeing club. She regularly hosted the Friday snowshoeing excursions and lunches. When Earlston retired, they bought a 42-foot ketch and for the next ten years they sailed around the Caribbean, across the Atlantic Ocean, around the Mediterranean, through the canals to the North Sea and eventually back up and through the Great Lakes. After Earlston's death, Elizabeth continued to travel to such far-flung places as Antarctica, Australia, Japan and New Zealand. Her last years were spent at the Perley-Rideau Veterans' Home. There will be a Memorial Reception and tea at
Kelly Funeral Home – Barrhaven Chapel
3000 Woodroffe Avenue
Nepean, ON K2J 4G3 (613) 823-4747
on Sunday, March 16, 2014 from 1 until 3 p.m. The family extends its sincere and deep gratitude to the staff of the Perley-Rideau, Ottawa 2 East. You were all so kind and caring and appreciative of the woman she was. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Doctors without Borders or to the charity of your choice. www.kellyfh.ca