Doris Anne Giesbrecht
Celebration of Life
Saturday, October 15, 2022
11:30 AM
Melrose Restaurant (Cowboys Casino)
421 12 Avenue SE, Calgary, AB
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Inurnment
Saturday, October 15, 2022
2:30 PM
St. Mary's Cemetery
3157 Erlton Street SW, Calgary, AB
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Obituary
Obituary for Doris Anne Giesbrecht
February 17, 1944 – September 5, 2022
It is just so hard to summarize the important details of mom's life in a few short sentences. Harder still to capture the essence of the woman and all the countless ways, seen and unseen, she touched the lives of family, friends, and strangers alike.
In her almost 40 years as a teacher's aid with the Calgary Catholic School Board, Doris helped shape the lives of countless young people and developed many deep and lasting friendships with her peers. She was truly invested in the success of every student she worked with always had time and energy to give ‘her kids’ as she called them. Their smiles and hugs were tribute to her positive presence in their childhood.
After our dad, Bill, passed away, mom retired from St. Patrick's elementary school and moved to the west coast to be with us kids. This was a huge undertaking and less adventurous souls may not have had the heart. But mom took it in stride and thrived during this next chapter of her life. She began volunteering at the Langley Senior Resources Society, and in art classes there, found she had a gift for both traditional and abstract painting. Mom also gave her time to the Port Moody branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, quickly making friends selling tickets for their iconic meat draw on the weekends.
Doris was an incredibly social person who was genuinely curious about people. We were fortunate to travel several times as a family, and no matter the destination, whether by air, sea or car, at some point on every trip we would inevitably 'lose' mom. Calling her was pointless as she rarely heard her cell phone buried deep in her purse. A physical search of the ship, or resort, or casino would always end in finding her sitting with one or two new friends, chatting away about kids, grandkids and the things that matter. People loved to talk to mom because she listened well and laughed easily. In our many chats, where the wine (or vodka) flowed freely, she always encouraged us to stay positive and never give up on our ability to figure things out. The older we got, the more we each valued these moments with mom.
The last 6 months of mom's life in BC were not easy. Multiple health problems set upon her simultaneously and her body shut down long before her spirit intended. Through all of it, she maintained her humour, and found great joy in the many small, happy details of her home and her family. Especially important were her grandsons Logan, Cooper and Tyler, and her great-grandson Dayton. Mom will be deeply missed by all of us, and stories of her during happier times will keep us chuckling for years to come.
Again, we are deeply grateful to all the friends and family who reached out since her passing.
Doris Giesbrecht passed away September 5, 2022 at Eagle Ridge Hospital in Port Moody, BC. She was 78 years old. She is at rest and reunited with her husband Bill, her son Kenny, her parents Margaret and Ivan Timmerman, and all the other people she loved who have gone before her. Mom will be very happy to be with her very best four-legged friend Buddy who was her companion for the past decade.
Doris is survived by her remaining children and their families; Donna and Dale Hammond, Logan Hammond, Randy and Linda Giesbrecht, Cooper Giesbrecht, Tyler Hennessey, Dayton Hennessey and Peggy Giesbrecht. She is also survived by her sister, Eileen Kasper (Bill Kasper, deceased) and her loss will be felt by her extended family and her many friends throughout Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
As was Mom’s wish there will be no funeral service. We will have a Celebration of Life in Calgary in due course (details to come) along with her interment at St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Memorial Invite
In Loving Memory
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