July 9, 1927 - Feb. 23, 2003
Doris Anderson (nee Mould), beloved wife of Glen Anderson, passed away on February 23 encircled by her loving family. Doris was born to Ernie and Alice Mould in the old Burns Lake hospital. Unfortunately, her mother passed away when she was two weeks old. Doris was raised by her aunt and uncle Elsie (Mould) and Charlie Sawyer, along with her adopted sister Kitten and cousin Joan.
Doris worked at the Roundhouse in Prince Rupert for the railroad and in the Burns Lake Hospital until she married Glen on July 19, 1947. They worked and lived in various logging camps including Jackpine, Pendelton Bay, Porters Hill and EA Strimbold before settling in Rose Lake on the original Mould homestead. In 1965, Doris went back to work at the Burns Lake hospital as supervisor of housekeeping and laundry until her retirement in 1989.
Doris loved sports, the outdoors and traveling. She coached and played softball, bowled and as her many trophies attest, was an excellent curler. Doris and Glen spent many hours on their snowmobiles alone or setting tracks and starting wiener roast fires for avid family and friend X-country skiers. She was also a canoeing enthusiast. Some of her and Glen’s major canoeing feats include a two week trip on the Yukon River and they canoed the Boweron Lake chain five times. Doris proved to be an avid fisherman, and many times would be the only one who caught any fish.
Doris had a very artistic flair. Her many woodworking and painting projects around the homestead made this quite evident. In earlier times, Doris on accordion and Glen on guitar, along with Glen’s brother Gordon and friend Andy formed a band and played around the countryside for many years. Doris was very musical and could play a variety of instruments.
Doris was very active in the Rose Lake Community Club and Women’s Institute and held various positions. She took it upon herself to maintain the Rose Lake hall and grounds, spending countless hours mowing the grass. Doris and her friends organized the weekly whist drives held at the Rose Lake Community Hall for many years.
Doris was never one to quit learning. At the age of 49 she was off to UBC and the University of Calgary, taking courses to further her education. Doris’s family always marvelled at her ability to embrace change, and her ability to keep up with changing technology.
Doris was content with her life in Rose Lake and never wanted to live anywhere else but close to her family and friends. Doris had an incredible love of life and left a very wealthy legacy to her family. The legacy was the ability to look towards the future, and never mind the past; never to dwell on the negative; to treat people with respect; that you don’t need a lot to be happy; how to take a big problem and make it simpler; how to work hard and the pleasures associated with hard work; how to dance and how to laugh. Doris’s family is a very rich family because of Doris’s teachings.
Doris is survived by her loving husband Glen; children Tom (Elaine) Anderson, Lynne (Larry) Sketchley, Louise (Dan) Fisher, Jackie (Laura) Anderson. Grandchildren: Crystal Havens, Kim Minger, Tracy Martens, Amber Eakin, K’ari Fisher, Danial Fisher, Rory Sketchley, Randy Sketchley, Angela Sketchley, Evan Smallwood, Brys Smallwood and nine great grandchildren. Doris is also survived by sisters Pauline and Kitten. Doris was predeceased by her parents Ernie and Alice Mould, brother Ted Mould, and cousin Joan. Doris is also survived by many close friends.
Doris’s family would like to thank the community for their incredible support. The flowers, donations to the Rose Lake Community Club, food and kind words all made this time more bearable. It is at a time like this that brings the realization of why we choose to live in a small community.
Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glint on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripen grain
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there: I did not die.