Doris Frances Donnelly

Donnelly

On January 19th, 2019, the birthdate of her mother, Doris Francis Donnelly rejoined her entire family. She died peacefully in Olds at the age of 91.

Doris was born May 18, 1927 on a farm six miles North of Rimbey and was the fourth child of Marie and Jerome Donnelly. She always treasured her time on the farm but was a city girl at heart and after completing high school in Rimbey, quickly set off to join her older sisters in Edmonton.

After business studies she began her life in the insurance industry and eventually moved to Sovereign Life Insurance’s head office in Toronto as the national lease manager. While she truly loved Toronto, her company’s relocation in 1979 saw her reluctantly move to Calgary but she eventually realized it was the right move.

Doris excelled at downhill skiing in the 1960's until a ski accident forced her into safer activities.  She became an avid lawn bowler and competed on the national level for many years. She loved to travel and liked her humor and her wine dry. Returning to Alberta allowed her to be surrounded by her very large extended family and she became a fixture at all their gatherings. For the last eight years of her life, she lived independently in Olds with lots of love and support from the Gustafson family. At the end of her rich and full life she had become the pseudo-great grandmother to 32 Leboldus descendants who loved her dearly.

Doris was predeceased by her parents as well as her sisters Lucie Kelly, Evelyn Curran, Bernice Leboldus, Phyllis Giacomin and brother Pat Donnelly. She is fondly remembered by sister-in-law Regina Donnelly, brothers-in-law Laurie Curran and Pete Giacomin and the many, many nieces and nephews across the globe.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Margaret's Catholic Church in Rimbey at 11 am on Saturday January 26, 2019 with interment to follow at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery near Bluffton. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society 200 – 325 Manning Road NE. Calgary, Alberta T2E 2P5.

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