Dorothy “Dot” GILDEA

I had the absolute honour and good fortune to meet and marry Dorothy Gildea (nee Gifford). We first met working in Woolworths Liverpool in 1961; we were 15 years old.

“Dolly”, as I’ve always called her, was born in Liverpool in 1946. She was the youngest of 5 children, three brothers: Hugh, John, and Peter, and sister Carol.

Dolly and I dated from 16 on and married in August 1967. We bought our first house together and renovated it, not really knowing what we were doing, but we did it. We sold our little house and moved to the Isle of Man, living there in an apartment in Ramsey. Dolly worked in the local Co-op grocery store, and I worked building houses. From there I persuaded her to emigrate to Canada. She came with me to Fernie and together we started a new life. It wasn’t until 10 years later that I found out she was so homesick she used to go sit under the old West Fernie bridge and cry, but she loved me so much that she never let me know how much she missed home.

Dolly started to work for many years in Rahal’s Ladies & Men’s Wear on 2nd Avenue. We lived in an apartment above there until in 1974, we built our home together in Ridgemont where we raise our family.

Dorothy had one miscarriage and also lost our first son at birth. Both losses were very hard on her, but she battled on, giving birth to our son Steven and 10 years later she gave birth to our daughter Alleine, to whom in later years became more like a sister; they were very close.

Dolly helped to operate our family business for 35 years and was also an amazingly devoted wife and mother. Anyone who knew “Dot”, as she became known here, knew that she would give anyone the “shirt off her back”. She was a loyal, loving, and wonderful companion in life, and has left a void that can never be filled.

Dorothy leaves behind to grieve her loss, her daughter Alleine and son-in-law Anthony with their children and her grandchildren Jovianna and Giovanni, and her son Steven in Australia with his children and her grandchildren Liam, Molly, and Noah. Dolly was so proud of all her grandchildren and carried their photos in her purse every day. Lastly, she leaves behind her broken-hearted husband David, and her rescue dog Sophie.

We will all miss her terribly but know that she will be joined in heaven with her two brothers, Hugh and John, and her Mum. Rest in peace my darling, until we meet again.

We would lastly like to thank all the nursing staff at the Elk Valley Hospital for the outstanding and compassionate care they gave to Dorothy in her final week of life. Words cannot express our gratitude.