Dawn Macpherson

MACPHERSON, Dawn (Josephs)

1932 - 2023

Dawn passed away peacefully on October 10th, 2023 at Lion's Gate Hospital with her four children and other close family members by her side.

Dawn was born in 1932 in Duncan, BC and moved to Victoria in 1943. She attended St. Margaret's Girls School in Victoria from age 11, the same age at which she first started to train in track and field and won the Victoria Junior championships. She was an avid athlete and former Olympian, winning numerous provincial and national titles and competed for the Canadian track and field team in high jump and long jump (and was an alternate for the 4x100 relay) at the 1952 Olympic games in Helsinki, Finland. Dawn was active throughout her life and fiercely competitive whether playing sports or a game of cribbage. She played badminton for decades and tennis into her late 70's, medaling several times at the BC Senior's games. There were times over the years, after winning a match, she scissor-kicked over the net to shake her opponents' hands.

Dawn worked as a Junior Draftsman for the provincial Forest Service in Victoria and it was here that she met her future husband Grant, fittingly on a tennis court. They were married in 1954 and together raised four children. This feat in and of itself was a challenge as the family relocated every few years with Grant's employment with the explosives division of Canadian Industries Limited. The family lived in Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and British Columbia. Dawn worked hard to build a community for her family in every new city, building a social network, joining and participating in church activities, settling her children into new schools, and organizing multiple sports and music lessons for each child. After three of her children left home, Dawn worked as an Avon Lady for 30+ years until the age of 85. She excelled and was awarded membership in the President's Club almost every year, although she continued with Avon mostly because of the many valued friendships she formed with her customers.

Dawn was a kind, loving, generous person who lived for her family. She had a great sense of humour and adventurous spirit, the memory of which lives on through each of her children.

Dawn will be greatly missed by her children: Neil (and Cathy), Robert (and Lingling), Diane Gray (and Don MacDonald), and Linda Fraser; her eight grandchildren: Jonathon (Katelyn McAuliffe) and Matthew (Christy Grenon) Gray, Andrew and Aaron Macpherson, Kailey and Max Fraser, Emma and Lukas Macpherson; her step-grandchildren Caitlin and Ryan MacDonald; her great grandchild Jack Gray, and many family and friends. Dawn was predeceased by her husband Grant Macpherson (1998) and her partner Harry Restiaux (2013).

We would like to thank the caring staff at Amica Edgemont Village, Vancouver Coastal Health care aides and the medical team of the Palliative Care Unit at Lion's Gate Hospital.

In lieu of flowers, a donation to Zajac Ranch for children in memory of Dawn would be greatly appreciated. https://zajacranch.com

A Celebration of Life will be held in late November with details to be confirmed.