Passed away peacefully surrounded by all his family at St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton on Sunday, December 8th, 2024, in his 84th year. Cherished spouse for 53 years, of Carmelita Barreda Dobson. Loving father and friend to Laura May Dobson (and partner Zakhir Jaipersaud) and Susan Lynn Dobson (and partner Micaela Machado). Caring, adored grandfather of James and Sarah Dobson-O’Day. Hugh will be sadly missed by brother Ross Dobson and his wife Sally of Cornwall, ON, and sister Ann McMillen and her husband Paul of Port Alberni, BC. Hugh also will be missed by his cousins across Canada, in-laws, and his nephews and nieces, especially, Joy Barreda. Hugh was predeceased by his parents Hugh Montross Dobson and Ena Alexandra Hunter Dobson.
Hugh Dobson III was born in Vancouver, BC, on February 24th, 1940. From 1958 to 1965, Hugh practiced general Oceanography on the northeast Pacific Ocean, employed by the Government of Canada and Oregon State University. In 1966, he became a founding staff member of the Canada Centre for Inland Waters—a large scientific institute of Environment Canada, where he studied, reported, and had many works published on Great Lakes offshore water quality. He then provided a daily scientific information service for co-workers, fulfilling both roles there for forty years. He retired fully in December 2006.
In 2012, Hugh and Carmelita moved from their lovely longtime home in south Burlington, ON on Seneca Ave., to nearby Dundas. They enjoyed the natural beauty of Dundas Valley and easily came to call it home. They had happy adventures in retirement, including a family trip in 2017 back to Thetis Island, BC—where Hugh spent a lot of time in his younger years. There, he had nurtured and expanded his passions for, and knowledge of, the ocean, marine ecology, phytoplankton, algae, and seafaring vessels… ships, boats, and sailing! His grandson James, as a toddler, would one day inadvertently call out his name as what sounded like Popeye… and the suiting nickname within the family stayed with him for the rest of his days, to his amusement and excellent satisfaction. He often referred to himself as Popeye and would sign his name as such.
Hugh and Carmelita savoured each day together at their Pleasant Valley Dundas house, including with the long-lived family Shih Tzu Pug dog, Cutie. Hugh, Carmelita and Cutie travelled to nearby Southern Ontario cities and towns, to cheer on countless baseball games with the grandkids.
Hugh collected educating and inspiring books on his key topics of interest and enjoyed his collection of model trains. Family travels through the years included many trips to BC, to New York for work and family, an independently organized tour of England and Ireland, and in early and recent years, to Ontario cottages. Hugh’s legacies include, his love of the family—especially, his “Dear One” Carmelita. Hugh and Carmelita are extraordinarily interconnected with one another and their love endures. Hugh will also be remembered for his faith and spirituality, his warmth and genuineness, his sublime sense of humour, his keen intellect, his interest in world politics, and living the example of his original “Active Peace” philosophy and personal writings.
Friends and Family are invited to: Turner Family Funeral Home, 53 Main St. Dundas, ON, for his Funeral Service at 1:00 pm on Sunday, January 19th, 2025, directly followed by the Celebration of Life at the adjacent Cattel Centre.
Please consider donating to an environmental/ waters conservation and protection organization in Canada, or a nuclear disarmament organization of your choosing, in loving memory of Hugh Francis Hunter Dobson.
Mary died peacefully in Hamilton, Ontario, on Monday, December 2, 2024, at the age of 87. She was deeply loved and cared for by her children Samuel and Esther, her daughter-in-law Sherri, and her beloved grandson Miles. She will be greatly missed by them and by the many families, friends and communities of which she was a part.
Mary was a compassionate and empathetic individual, deeply committed to her family, community, and the pursuit of justice. She had a deep love for music and cherished her connections with family and friends, especially on the farm. She also had a profound appreciation for the beauty of nature, particularly birds and her many gardens. She embraced her family, friends, and community with unwavering kindness and grace.
Mary was born on July 5th, 1937 in Abington, Pennsylvania, to Elizabeth Royer Henderson and Theodore Arthur Henderson. She was the oldest sister to Susan, Jean, and Connie. As a child she delighted in her loving family, the natural world around her, books and reading. Mary’s love of music began early in her childhood as she sang in her church and school choirs. Her father played the banjo for family singalongs, a tradition that continued throughout her life. She started playing the piano at which she became quite talented. Mary became inspired by classical music when she attended the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Children’s Concerts and listened to piano and organ played exquisitely by her grandmother.
In 1959 Mary graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Simmons College in Boston and received her Master’s degree in Organic Chemistry from Columbia University in 1962. She met Joseph Baruch Vise at Brookhaven National Laboratory in their summer student program in 1958 and they were married in Ambler, Pennsylvania a year later. Mary and Joseph lived in Long Island, New York where Mary worked in the Chemistry Lab at Columbia University until Joseph completed his PHD in 1963. Their shared progressive values and ideals shaped the course of the rest of their lives. Over the next fifteen years Mary and Joseph travelled, lived and worked in Guatemala, Kenya, Cuba, Canada, Zambia and Botswana. Their first two children Esther and Samuel were born in Nairobi, Kenya and their third child Jonathan was born in Havana, Cuba.
The family moved to Toronto in 1977 where Mary continued teaching chemistry until 1980 when she decided to pursue her dream of becoming a librarian. She graduated in 1982 with a Master’s in Library Science from the University of Toronto. She began her new career as a Resource Librarian at the Cross Cultural Communications Centre, and later at the Canadian Environmental Law Association, where she was the Founding Librarian for the Resource Centre for the Environment and the Law. She retired in 1997.
In 1996, their son Jonathan was diagnosed with cancer, and passed away two years later at the age of twenty-five. Mary and Joseph cared for Jonathan, allowing him to pass away at home with the support of family and friends. In 2001 Mary and Joe moved to their beautiful farm near Tweed, Ontario. During the last decade of their lives together, they were grateful for the beauty, independence and sustainability of their life on the farm. In 2011 their grandson Miles was born, bringing immense joy to his grandparents. Joseph passed away in Tweed in 2013 surrounded by the love of his family. Mary continued to live on their farm until 2021 (with winters in Toronto), when she moved to Dundas, Ontario to live with Esther and Sherri.
Mary’s heartfelt capacity to feel compassion and joy for others connected her across generations and cultures, and in every neighbourhood she found herself. She was active in anti-apartheid struggles, Latin-American solidarity work, anti-racism, Indigenous solidarity and environmental Justice movements. She loved music and alongside Joseph was a volunteer usher for Tafelmusik and Toronto Consort orchestras for decades. She sang in choirs and was part of Toronto’s Songfest group. In her fifties she was gifted a cello by Jonathan for her birthday and delighted in learning and playing it – on her own, in duets, with volunteer orchestras, and at music camp.
Mary cherished canoe-trips in Temagami, annual sisters’ trips, travels to Italy with friends and family, and visits to Boston, Connecticut and Seattle to see loved ones. She treasured her book club with close friends in Tweed, and walks with friends across fields, forests, and the streets of Toronto. Mary and Joseph raised their family with both Jewish and Christian traditions, cooking delicious Passover meals, Christmas dinners, Thanksgiving feasts with family and friends, and always many pies.
In her last few years Mary loved her weekly Zoom calls with her sisters, attending Miles’s basketball games, participating in online Tweed Sit and Fit classes, and her daily routine of coffee, morning treats, and cat snuggles while listening to CBC classical music for hours. Mary remained active until a fall on November 29, after which she was admitted to Hamilton General Hospital. The family extends heartfelt thanks to the medical staff for their care and support during her final days.
A memorial will be held for Mary on Sunday, February 16 from 1-4pm at YWCA Toronto, 80 Elm Street (near Gerrard and Bay Street). Parking is available across the street and around the corner. Everyone is welcome.
With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Edward William DeLottinville (Ed).
Ed is predeceased by his wife of 72 years, Louise, and parents, Joseph Oliver and Ethel V. Oder. He is also predeceased by his siblings Howard, Maude, Marie, Dorothy, Helen, Winnifred, Audrey, Joseph “Bruce”, Margaret, Mildred, Clifford, Reta, Blanche and Joyce. Ed is survived and sadly missed by his children, Marie, Janice and Edmond, 8 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, sister Leona, brother Wayne and many nieces and nephews.
Ed was a hard worker. When he was young, he shared work on the family farm before the luxury of tractors, when horses were used on the land. When Ed was 18 years old, he travelled out west during the wheat harvest and worked alongside his brother Bruce. They also worked in the Sudbury nickel mine and the gold mine in Madison, Red Lake. Ed eventually found his passion with residential and commercial paving and landscaping which he did for over 40 years.
In 1951, Ed married Louise (Essiambre). He always said she chased him for four years then he caught her. By the time he was 25, the two of them built and had their first home paid off. Then, over the next 25 years, he had 3 children: Marie, Janice and Edmond. In 1971, Ed and Louise bought a 70-acre farm and worked it with their son, Edmond, for 10 years then rented out the land as his paving and landscaping business thrived.
Louise spent the last 6 years of her life in the John Noble Home in Brantford and passed on Jan 3, 2024. The farm was sold and Ed and son, Edmond, lived together for 5 years in Brantford. Ed died peacefully in the Brantford General Hospital. A funeral service will take place at Turner Family Funeral Home, 53 Main St. in Dundas on Wednesday, December 11th, at 1:00 p.m.
