Obituary of Doreen Helen Walker

 

February 7, 1932 - July 30, 2023

 

Doreen Helen Walker passed away peacefully on July 30^th, 2023 in Saskatoon.

 

Doreen was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on February 7^th, 1932 to Lillian (nee Spencer) and Herbert White, growing up as the youngest of nine children on “The Hill.”  She attended Pleasant Hill and Caswell elementary schools and Bedford Road Collegiate.

 

Doreen met the love of her life, Phil Walker, at a YWCA dance. They were each other’s biggest fans throughout their lives.  Phil and Doreen raised their four children in Saskatoon and their beloved Emma Lake.  Her adult children have many memories of the smell of her baking (often from the woodstove), pulling taffy, grandma’s jam-packed sewing room, and scores of lake family/friends celebrations.  Emma Lake is where Doreen’s children and grandchildren interacted with her on a daily basis.

 

Doreen’s children agree that they won the lottery when she was chosen as their mom and grandmother to their children.  To be raised by gracious, kind, funny, thoughtful, and mannerly parents was a great gift.  Doreen’s family and friends were her joy. Doreen was Mama Walker to many of her children’s friends and Aunt Doreen to lake-family children.

 

Phil and Doreen enjoyed travel across Canada, the United States and Europe. She loved adventure.  After retirement Doreen and Phil settled at Viewpoint RV Park in Mesa, Arizona where they spent over three decades of active winters, developing friendship with people from all over the USA and Canada.  Doreen was an avid sewer and crafter and later in life became an entrepreneur selling her wares at church sales, Christopher Lake Saturday market and the weekly “Country Store” at Viewpoint in Mesa.  Doreen loved the interaction with people she met as much as the sales she made.

 

Doreen enjoyed many years as a substitute teacher in Saskatoon and Prince Albert area schools. She loved music and enjoyed singing in church and community choirs, as well as playing the violin and saxophone (in multiple Mesa concert bands). She loved to skate, play golf, softball, and tennis and was a huge fan of her children’s and grandchildren’s sports endeavors.

 

Doreen was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Philip Walker; her parents; eight siblings, Fred, Edith, Ethel, Doug, Allan, Lloyd, Clarence and Gerald and their spouses, as well as her mother and father-in-law Margaret & Drayton Walker; and sister-in-law Joyce Walker.

 

Doreen is survived by her son Keith Walker (Vivian); daughters Judy Ostrander (Jim), Jane Vaughn (Danny), and Jill Konkin (John); ten grandchildren James Walker (Martha), Eric Walker (Sarah Jane), G. Mackenzie Walker (Ali), Gillian (Cody) Tillman, Jonathan Ostrander (Drea), Jenna Wake (Tyler), Timothy Vaughn (Nicole), Shanna Stonehouse (Bill), Kassidy Fraser (Colin), and John Davis Konkin; twelve great grandchildren Harriet, Katherine and Daniel Walker, Rayna Jane and Rowan Walker, Emma Walker, Pearl, Mable and Mogens Ostrander, Bowen and Emelyn Wake, and Royce Vaughn; brothers-in-laws Peter and Ted (Laine) Walker and sister-in-law Doris White; along with many much loved nieces, nephews and friends.

 

A Celebration of Life service will take place at 2:00 p.m., Monday, August 21, 2023 at St. Christopher’s Anglican Church, Hyw 263, Christopher Lake with the Rev. Brody Albers officiating.  Inurnment will follow at the St. Christopher cemetery, with light refreshments to follow. For those unable to attend, a live stream video of the service will be available at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89782483640?pwd=bTZPcUd2eTBsWjFyOU5aZzZKckN6Zz09

 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Saskatoon Public Schools Foundation.

 

The family wishes to extend their sincere thanks the staff at Preston Park II, Royal University Hospital, City Hospital, Warm & Cozy Personal Care Home and Luther Special Care home for their kind and compassionate care of our Mom/Grandma, especially over the past year and a half.