Dear Nana,
I just wanted to write you a little note since we won’t be having our weekly phone chats anymore. I never told you this, but you were always my connection to the place where I was born. And though we lived miles apart on different continents, I enjoyed travelling to visit and have many wonderful memories of exploring Poole and the surrounding area with you. Even with your many years of wisdom, you always managed to remain young at heart and your sense of humour was truly amazing. It’s not everyday a 94 year old rides the Ferris wheel at Bournemouth Pier; which totally floored the young man working there, by the way. I was proud to have a sharp-minded and independent grandmother and would even brag a little to my coworkers about you. You were generous and stronger than you realized and I like to believe that some of these qualities got passed down to me. I am going to sign off now before I start to cry but I’m not going to say goodbye because you still remain in my heart. Instead I will simply bid a fond cheerio to my glamorous and graceful Nana.
Love, Mia.

I became a part of Doreen‘s family back around 1982, having met Doreen‘s daughter Annette through my work.
Even though we were in Canada and Doreen was in the UK, we were able to get together many many times over the years.

All our times together make for wonderful memories, except for two occasions when for whatever reasons Doreen‘s two daughters, Annette and Vicci passed from this world.
Doreen was devastated and in shock because daughters are not supposed to pass from this world before the parent.
Somehow Doreen rallied around and dealt with it with courage, and set up memorials at her local Church to help her deal with her grief.

My interest in photography which grew in 2003 when Annette and I moved to Aurora has helped me in these intervening years to document my time together with Doreen and her family during our various vacation visits both back in Canada and the US as well as here in the UK and Europe.

All were memorable times.

Having looked through my photos I find I have far too few photos of Doreen, Annette and Vicci, which makes the ones I do have all the more precious.
One of the things that stands out for me is Doreen‘s wonderful smile.
Very few peoples photos capture that radiant spirit that inhabits within, but Doreen‘s spirit shines through, larger than life.
I suppose that radiant spirit helped her live well into her 98th year.
Her Christian values helped her as well i am sure.
We are all here to learn to be better Human Beings and leave this place better for our time spent here.
Doreen has definitely done that.

The other thing that Doreen loved and enjoyed was her flower garden, which was always vibrant and full of colour, fragrance, and life.
That too will be a fond memory i have of Doreen, and have many pictures that will remind me of that.

I will miss Doreen, and my time spent with her, and the many phonecalls across the pond over the later years.
Spending some time this week over on the High Street behind the Dolphin Centre has brought back fond memories of times spent here with Doreen over the years.

Death to this world, is but the Birth to a more wonderful existence that we will all one day share with those who have gone before us.
Some having left sooner than we would have liked.

Much Love to You Doreen.
Here‘s hoping your reunion with Annette and Vicci is a heartfelt and joyous one.

Peter