DOBBIN, Mary Lorraine (nee Gerrard)

Passed away at Hospice Wellington, Guelph in the early hours of Monday, October 23, 2017, one day before her 89th birthday. Loving wife of Frank Dobbin of Guelph, and mother of Frank (Katherine) of Cambridge, Debi (Bruce Shultis) of Guelph, Patrick (Suzanne) of Kitchener and Sheilagh (Scott Grills) of Brandon, Manitoba. Grandmother to Catherine Dobbin and great-grandmother to Liam, and grandmother to Matthew (Sylvia), Samantha and Nathan Grills. Lorraine was predeceased by her siblings Patricia (John Mifflen), Shirley (Robert Yetman), Barbara (Peter Halfyard), Faye (Al Landry) and John (Betty), all of the Halifax area. Lorraine’s mother Rose (nee Sohlberg) came to Halifax in 1920 from Hull, England while her father John Gerrard has deep maritime roots in this country.
Lorraine met her beloved Frank at a dance, and they were able to sing along to the Tennessee Waltz for 66 years. Throughout their time together, they met the challenges of raising a family and the life of uncertainty that comes with being the spouse of a long-serving member of the Royal Canadian Navy. Relocating from Dartmouth to Guelph in the late 1960’s, Lorraine maintained a garden and kitchen that filled the family freezer and pantry. A move from the longtime family home on Rhonda road to a new home on Ironwood saw the opportunity to construct a lavish oasis of rare plants, a fish pond and an engineering marvel of landscaping. Most recently Lorraine was a resident of Wellington Park retirement residence with her husband Frank. Here too she found the time and energy to develop and support a community garden. Her love of this earth and all things green is a gift to us all.

A memorial gathering to remember Lorraine’s life will be held at the WALL-CUSTANCE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL, 206 Norfolk St., Guelph on Thursday, October 26th from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Interment Friday, October 27th at 10:00 a.m. in Woodlawn Memorial Park, Guelph. Memorial contributions to Hospice Wellingtonare appreciated, 795 Scottsdale Dr, Guelph, ON N1G 3R8.