Doreen Itkonen

ITKONEN (PITMAN), Doreen Mary (nee DOYLE) 1925 - 2013 With deep sadness, we say goodbye to Doreen, who died peacefully at Inglewood Care Centre in West Vancouver on December 15, 2013 in her 89th year. Born and raised in North Vancouver, Doreen was the third of five children born to Gladys and Aubrey Doyle. She attended North Vancouver High School, where she led the girls' grass-hockey team to a provincial championship as captain, and served as valedictorian for her graduating class in 1943. She received nurses training at St. Paul's Hospital (1945-48), served again as class valedictorian, and after further training in Montreal, returned to St. Paul's as head nurse in the maternity ward. In 1951, Doreen married Delbert Walter Pitman. Del was a steam engineer, played a key role in the start-up of Prince George Pulp and Paper and, like Doreen, loved to play tennis and badminton. The couple had three children, enjoyed many good friends in Port Mellon, Vancouver and Prince George, and led a happy and active life together until Del's death in 1969, at 44. Doreen served as regional hospital librarian in PG for 11 years. She remarried in 1982, to Niilo Johannes Itkonen, an accomplished athlete and outdoorsman, at Knox United Church in Prince George. With Niilo, Doreen spent her retirement years happily cross-country skiing in the winter and walking, back-country hiking, camping, fishing and picking berries and mushrooms in the summer. She traveled extensively with Niilo until his death in 1998. Doreen was a devoted mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She excelled as an athlete her whole life. In her 40s, she was BC badminton champion in women's doubles, and in her 50s, 60s and 70s, frequently took gold medals in long-distance cross-country ski events throughout BC and northern Europe, as well as javelin and shot-put (at BC Summer, Winter and Seniors Games). Doreen led life to the fullest. She was bright and energetic, adventurous, fun-loving and kind - she had a smile for everyone. She led, championed and volunteered for community projects of all kinds. In Prince George, her home for 40 years (1965-2005), Doreen organized the Barracuda swim club, campaigned successfully for the first indoor swimming pool, and ran regional and provincial swim meets. With Del, she started the community's little league soccer for boys; and with Niilo and her many friends with the Sons of Norway and the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club, she built and skied kilometres of ski trails in and around Prince George. She led the local United Way campaign for several years, belonged to the University Women's Club, and was active in building the golf and country club, the symphony orchestra, and her church. In the late ‘80s, Doreen served as secretary (to Niilo's president) for the Cross-Country Ski Association of Canada, and later, after her own diagnosis, she was a spokesperson for Alzheimer's Society of BC. The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the incredible friends and caregivers who appreciated and supported our mother. Doreen will be forever in our hearts, and she will remain an inspiration for many, representing all that bright and determined, publicly-minded people can do to create community for the rest of us. Doreen will be lovingly remembered by her three children: Beverley Pitman, Bill Pitman (Shu Carron) and Joanne Kimble Pitman; her five grandchildren: Gabriel Pitman, Lee Carron, Ches Kimble, Erik Venini, and Olivia Venini; and her two great grandchildren (Rory and Trystan Loewen). Sadly, she was predeceased by her first grandchild, Dana Pitman. A celebration of Doreen's life will be held on Saturday, January 4th at 2 p.m. at Boal Chapel, 1505 Lillooet Road, North Vancouver. Donations to Alzheimer's Society of BC are welcome in lieu of flowers.