Dorothy Mary Hainsworth (nee Coltart) passed away on April 27, 2022 at the Extendacare Peterborough long term care home, where she had resided since August 2021. She had basically worn out her body during a great 101 year run. She was in considerable pain in her last few weeks so she got relief from that when she passed. She will be joining her beloved late husband, Edwin G. Hainsworth, at Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

She will be sorely missed by her 5 children, Raymond (Hong), John (Shelia), David (Beverley), Steven (Donna), and Anne. Nana will also be missed by her grandchildren Andrew, Robert, Jeff, Kimberley, Michael, Paul, Steven Jr., Michelle, and Mathew. She also had numerous great grandchildren, including Haley, Teddy, Olivia, Scottie and Henry.

Dorothy was born in Sydenham, a suburb of London, England. She had a twin brother, Gordon, and a sister Madelaine. Unfortunately, medical science was not as advanced in the 1930s and her mother and father both died young leaving them orphans. Fortunately, an uncle, John Purchas and his wife Helen, took them under their wing and gave them a loving new home. They attended a Church of England convent school in the 1930s.

Dorothy met her future husband while he was in the Royal Canadian Signal Corps and was stationed in England prior to D-Day. They were married in December 1945, as the war in Europe ended. She came to Canada in 1946 arriving by ship in Halifax and by train to Toronto. The growing family lived in the east end of Toronto, then North York, and in retirement at Balm Beach, Ontario. She was a full time mother and homemaker in the old sense of the word. And with 5 children that was quite the busy job! She did a good job too, as all her children graduated from high school and had some college or university afterwards.

Dorothy and Edwin’s retirement years were very full with lots of visits to the “cottage” by family and friends, and winters spent in Florida. Her husband passed in 1992 so Dorothy moved to a condo in east Toronto and lived on her own until she was 100 years young. She had many friends there and enjoyed her “bid euchre”, trips to the casino, and bingo games. She always had lots of company on Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. She had many excellent care-givers to help her in her latter years, and recognition is given to the excellent care at Extendacare Peterborough until the end.

Dorothy will be resting at the Mount Pleasant Funeral Centre, 375 Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto. A visitation will be held in the Chapel on Monday, May 9, 2022 from 1-2pm followed by a funeral service at 2pm. Following the service, friends and family are invited to share memories, coffee, tea and refreshments in a room overlooking this beautiful venue. She will be cremated at a later date with an interment date to be determined.

The Mount Pleasant Funeral Centre is most directly accessed via the EAST gates off Mount Pleasant Rd. The first building you see when you enter through these gates is the Cemetery Office. Turn right in front of that building and take the first road on the left to bring you to the funeral centre.

In lieu of flowers please feel free to make a donation to the War Amps of Canada.