April 20, 1924 - January 13, 2019
Doris (L'Hirondelle) Stevenson was born on the L'Hirondelle family farm near Villeneuve Alberta when horses were still the means of transportation. Doris witnessed great changes to her world.
After losing her mother and siblings to tuberculosis, Doris was raised by her grandparents. She attended St. Albert Residential School, Youville for five years, returning home only for summer breaks, and then briefly attended Cunningham school before working on neighbouring farms.
Doris had an adventurous spirit. She worked in restaurants and a drycleaner in Edmonton, a munitions plant in Ajax, Ontario, the Hamilton Asylum for the Insane, a New York child care centre and RCAF Station Whitehorse - there she met her husband Ken Stevenson, who served with the RCAF. Their family travelled and lived on various airbases across Canada.
While Doris enjoyed work, motherhood was her vocation. She was a loving, protective and strict Catholic parent who created a safe and secure home for her family. She enjoyed reading and gardening, was an excellent seamstress, and nurtured a deep spiritual life. She spent many years as a pastoral visitor to the elderly at St. Joseph's Hospital in Comox.
In her later years Doris lived with her daughter Madeleine and Tim Michel in Vancouver. She enjoyed daily walks, time with family, and new friends at Britannia's 55+ Centre, Renfrew Collingwood Seniors' Centre, and the Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Centre. She travelled to Comox frequently to visit with family and enjoyed the Elders' Luncheon at the Wachiay Friendship Centre.
Doris is lovingly remembered by her children: Louis Stevenson, Mark Stevenson (Kimberly Morhalo); Madeline MacIvor (Tim Michel), Mary Young and John Stevenson; her grandchildren: Ara Stevenson (Alex Bews), Motion MacIvor (Sarah Paynter) Koan Stevenson, Ashley Stevenson, Eli Stevenson, River Hill (Alison Chrysler), Gabrielle Hill, Levon Young (Marla Temoin), Madeline Young, and Rita Farkas (Mike Tanassee); and her great grandchildren: Emily and Nicholas Bews; Alberta and Augustus Crysler- Hill, Geoffrey and Riley Jestico.; Joni and Miles Young, Sevren, Leah and Brooklyn Stevenson, and Marlon and Zilia Tanassee.
She is predeceased by her grandparents Norbert and Magdeleine (Callihoo) L'Hirondelle; her parents August and Mary (Foley) L'Hirondelle; her husband Ken Stevenson and their children Laurene and Joseph Stevenson; and her son-in-laws Robert Young and George MacIvor.
Our family thanks Dr. Lalya Wickremasinghe for the excellent medical attention she provided over the years. Thanks also the staff at the German- Canadian Care Home. We were deeply moved by the loving end-of-life care they provided. In lieu of flowers, donations to the German-Canadian Care Home would be welcome.
A Prayer Service will be held January 24, 2019 at 7 pm at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 525 Campbell Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia.
A Funeral Mass will be held January 25, 2019 at 11 am at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 525 Campbell Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia.