Obituary of Dorothy Elsie Englot

On Saturday, November 16th, after a 5 month  journey of declining health, Dorothy’s pain and suffering ended, and we said our final goodbye.

Dorothy was predeceased by her husband Ed Englot (2003); daughter Lynne Malazdrewicz (2009); son-in-law Ray Malazdrewicz (2008); and sisters Leona Schwartz and Ruth Kaatz.  She will be hugely missed and lovingly remembered by daughter Dianne (Al) Brockmeyer; granddaughter Kristen (Jeremy) Miller; grandsons Ryan Malazdrewicz (Laurel), and Cameron Malazdrewicz (Jennifer); and six great-grandchildren.

Mom grew up in Winnipeg, living her early years in the Weston area of Winnipeg, spending summer vacations in Ponema Beach.  After graduating, Mom worked at United Grain Growers, until she met and married Ed Englot in 1950.  Together they started their life in Beausejour, MB (Dad’s hometown).  Winnipeg again became their home in 1951 and in 1952 together they purchased their first home in Elmwood.   In 1960, a home on Ian Place (North Kildonan) became Mom and Dad’s home for over 50 years, where many lifelong friendships were made. (That home became the first of three homes, that would have Mom living one block off of Gateway Road for over 60 years).

During her married life, Mom assisted Dad in running a number of road construction companies, but her biggest challenge and most amazing experience was in 1976, when she joined Dad on the DEW Line (a series of Distant Early Warning radar stations in Canada’s Arctic Circle).  Together they worked and lived in the Arctic staying at camps in Frobisher Bay, Rankin Inlet, Cambridge Bay, Cape Dyer and Dye Main on Baffin Island. 

While an extremely challenging time in their lives, their time spent living in the North, gave both Mom and Dad some of their most amazing, astonishing and breathtaking experiences.  Picnics on the shore of the Arctic Ocean, experiencing Polar Bears, sharing with the Inuit, and living in 300” of snow, with ice tunnels and glaciers, to name only a few.  While working in the Arctic, Ed and Dorothy also made their first of 17 vacations to Hawaii, falling in love with a place they came to refer to as “paradise”.

Dad passed in 2003, and due to Dorothy’s newly acquired disabilities, and the challenges brought with it, in 2011 Mom made the move to her first apartment (Cornerstone Estates) on Gateway Road.   In 2018, Mom moved to Sturgeon Creek II, where she remained until June of this year.

The last 23 years were difficult for Mom, and the family would like to thank those individuals who were extraordinary in the care and support they provided.  To the staff at Sturgeon Creek II Assisted Living, Nurse Practitioner Badi Bloodworth (Access West), Rosa (Oakley Optical), Michael Hart, and Dr. Popoff we express our heartfelt thanks and gratitude.

At Mom’s request, there will be no service and cremation has taken place.  Flowers are gratefully declined.  

Rest in peace Mom.  We love you.

No one should have to spend their last days, fighting for appropriate care and dignity, in a healthcare system that is broken beyond repair, and where individual needs are not addressed. It was tragic watching Mom in her final days, and having to battle each step of the way, fighting for her needed care.  We wish to thank Kathleen Cook (MLA for Roblin) in trying to help us address this need.  Healthcare has deteriorated drastically over the years, to the point it is almost non-existent.  What many of us believed to be true in the past, regarding appropriate care when dying, has long since disappeared, and has now been replaced by a system, where a family pet by comparison, will receive better, and more appropriate care and required attention when dying, than will any loved one.