Dorothy Mantle Cahoon (née Collis)

With family by her side, Dorothy Mantle Cahoon (née Collis) passed away on December 13, 2021 at the Ottawa General Hospital at the age of 84 from complications of myasthenia gravis. She was predeceased by her parents, Sidney and Phyllis Collis, and her sister, Alene Collis. She was also predeceased by her son, Lawrence Cahoon, whom she grieved until the day she died. Survived by children: Bruce Cahoon (Yolanda) of Port Coquitlam; Sidney Cahoon (Tanya) of Waterside; and Amanda McKay (John) of Ottawa; several grandchildren: Jade Cahoon, Kale Cahoon, Chris Cahoon, Kiersten Cahoon, Samuel McKay, Connor Cahoon, and great-grandchild, Theo Aelick.

Adopted at birth, she was thrilled to connect later in life with her birth mother (the late Dorothy McKenna) and siblings, including her brothers Bernie McKenna (Heather) and the late Robert Taylor (Barbara); and Battist families. She cherished the love and belonging she received from them.

She was fortunate to have a great group of friends that provided companionship, support, and laughter through the years. She had a wicked sense of humor and a fantastic laugh. Several close friends - Johanna Sutton (Halifax); Isabel Fancey (Union Centre); and Trudy Vince (Stellarton) - became like family to her, loving her unconditionally and now also grieving her loss.

Dorothy was a great believer in public service and, through the years, volunteered for a number of different organizations including many years working in the gift shop and information desk of the Aberdeen Hospital in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, as well as with Lauback Literacy of Nova Scotia and the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada.

Recently relocated from Stellarton, Nova Scotia, to be closer to her daughter in Ottawa, she received exceptional care at the Ottawa General Hospital after she fell ill. A retired R.N. herself, she was acutely aware of and grateful for the comprehensive efforts taken by the Ottawa General to treat her and the dignity she was afforded while there.

The family would also like to especially thank past caregivers from the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) Pictou County - Beth, Shelley, Evelyn, and Suzanne - as they showed her great compassion and provided a much needed social outlet over the past few years.

Donations in her memory can be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada. She was a champion of research to fight this horrible disease and, as such, has donated her remains to the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine. A funeral service will be held at a later date in Nova Scotia.

Known to while away the hours sitting in her garden reading a good book, the family will honour her memory through the Memorial Bench Program of the Halifax Public Gardens, a place she loved dearly. 

Dorothy was a lady of the highest order- her daughter often teased her by calling her the Queen. She will be deeply missed by many.