Dorothy Elinor DeWilliam

Dorothy Elinor (Clarke) DeWilliam passed away peacefully at home with family members present, Saturday, June 24, 2017. She will be greatly and frequently missed by her loved ones, yet we are grateful she had 92 years to be with us and to explore this life. Dorothy was born at home in Nipawin, Saskatchewan, Canada, to parents William Davis Clarke and Dora Kathleen (Reed) Clarke. She grew up in Saskatchewan with her parents and her brother James Clarke. She graduated from high school in Prince Albert, and attended nursing school at Victoria Hospital in Nipawin. After graduating as an RN, she was a nurse in Nelson, British Columbia where she met her future husband, Patrick. They were married April 8, 1950, in Coeur d’Alene, ID. Dorothy and Patrick moved to Kellogg, ID, where Patrick started his career as a geologist/mining engineer and where three of their children, Joan, Coral, and Michele, were born. Patrick’s work took them all over the West, including to Arizona, where their children Margaret and Stephen were born, and where, in 1963, Dorothy became a United States citizen. In 1967, the DeWilliam family settled in Spokane, WA, where Dorothy and Patrick lived until her passing. Dorothy was an excellent baker, known for her pies, especially lemon meringue, rhubarb, and butter tarts, and for a delicious array of cookies, including those sent in “care packages” to her children when they were in college. She was also a skilled seamstress, sewing wedding dresses for three of her daughters, christening gowns, and both sewing and knitting much of the family’s clothing. In recent years, she made quilts for each of her children. She was an accomplished pianist, a photographer, and a master of making holiday meals for a crowd. She enjoyed gardening and canning, and was an excellent letter writer. For many years, Dorothy was active in St. David’s Episcopal Church in Spokane and was a member of the altar guild there. In addition, she was a member of WAAIME (Woman’s Auxiliary to the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Inc.) and of Eastern Star. Dorothy and Patrick enjoyed travel, including trips to Egypt, Italy, Greece, the Caribbean, and Hawaii. They relaxed on their annual trips to Lincoln City, Oregon, and they frequently visited their adult children, from Washington to Montana. They made many trips to beloved family in Saskatchewan and British Columbia, Canada. Dorothy was an excellent hostess and had a wry sense of humor. She often found a joke or story so funny that she laughed until tears came to her eyes. She also had a habit of sneaking a quick look at the ending of a novel, to ensure it had a positive, happy ending. Dorothy is survived by her husband of 67 years, Patrick; her children, Joan (Philip), Coral (Bradly), Michele, Margaret (Marc), and Stephen; her grandchildren, Emily (Rick), Julia (Jeremiah), Cameron, Patrick, Peter, and Joseph; her step grandchildren, Katy (John) and Alicia (Dave); her three great granddaughters, Virginia, Sofia, and Gillian; and her step great granddaughter, Freya. The family thanks the following for care of Dorothy in her final days: Hospice of Spokane, Family Home Care, and Rev. Margaret Fisher of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. Memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of Spokane, at hospiceofspokane.org or Hospice of Spokane, PO Box 2214, Spokane, WA  99210. A memorial service for Dorothy will be held Saturday, July 22, at 11:00 am at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Spokane.

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