(Apr. 25, 1915 – Aug. 18, 2009)
After an eventful ninety-four years, Doris departed quietly at her home in Chilliwack on August 18.
Born Doris Edwards in Cardiff, Wales, she lived her first thirty-three years in the Welsh capital. As a young woman she was active in the English Folk Dance and Song Society, and the Girl Guides, both as a Guide and as a leader. After attending Cleves Secretarial College, she worked for several businesses in Cardiff. As a volunteer with the St. John Ambulance Society, she was a first responder during air raids in World War II. In 1948, she immigrated to North America. She worked at the St. Eugene Hospital in Cranbrook, the Marshall Wells office in Vancouver, and the British Consulate in Los Angeles. In 1953, she returned to Cranbrook, where she married Alex Edmunds. His RCAF career took them first to Ontario, where their daughter Eileen was born. During a four-year posting in Germany, the family spent holidays touring Europe. In 1961, after two years in Quebec, they left military life and settled on an orchard and berry farm in the Creston Valley. There Doris was active in the Women’s Institute, the Creston Hospital Auxiliary, the Rod and Gun Club, the Girl Guides, and the Order of the Royal Purple. In 1980, the couple retired to Chilliwack. Doris was an enthusiastic carpet bowler and lawn bowler, a member of the Chilliwack lodge of the Order of the Royal Purple, and the Senior Vets. As a member of the Altar Guild, she gave service to St. Thomas Anglican Church. In her early and middle years, Doris enjoyed hiking and camping. In her later years, she maintained a close connection to the natural world through her keen observation of birds.
Doris was predeceased by her husband Alex. She is sadly missed by her daughter Eileen, and by many friends on several continents, whose lives she enriched with her vitality, sense of fun, and sparkling presence.
A celebration of Doris’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 19, at St. Thomas Anglican Church, 46048 Gore Avenue, Chilliwack.
Donations may be made to the British Columbia Wildlife Federation, or the charity of your choice.
Online condolences can be left at www.hendersonsfunerals.com