DORIS MARGARET ENGEL

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

DORIS MARGARET ENGEL January 4, 1923 - March 26, 2016 Peacefully, with her family by her side, Doris Margaret (Thérèse) Engel (née Collins) fell asleep in the Lord at 6:25 a.m. on Saturday, March 26, 2016 in Victoria Hospital, after a stroke just before noon on Wednesday, March 23. Doris (which means "gift" in Greek) was the fourth of five children born to Albert Victor and Ethel (née Wilson) Collins (both formerly of London, England) on January 4, 1923 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She was predeceased by her mother in 1961 and father in 1966, by her infant brother Leslie circa 1913 and sister Hazel Majury (Les) in 1996, and her two brothers Roy (Nesta) in 2013 and Leonard (Janet) in 2011. Doris married Roland R. Engel on April 7, 1961. God blessed them with three sons: James Edward Chaput of Winnipeg (from Doris' previous marriage to Edgar), Howard Robert (married to Esther Juce) of Winnipeg and Paul Andrew (married to Renata née Scriven) of Stillwater, Minnesota. Doris grew up in old St. James on Hampton Street, attending Britannia and Assiniboine Schools. She contributed to her family's household income by babysitting in Tuxedo. Upon the outbreak of the Second World War, she worked at a galvanizing plant. She joked that when her curiosity got the better of her and she tried some task for which she did not have proper training, she was told by her supervisor that she set the war effort back a few years! Doris had a panache for style and good taste, especially in fashionable clothing, which she wore very well. She caught the eye of Lee Kepron of the Belgian Shop Ladies' Wear on Portage Avenue and so began her career selling the latest fashions from Montréal, New York, London and Paris. After her first husband's sudden death in 1952, Doris decided that she needed a change from having to work on her feet all day. Doris thus went back to night school and completed with flying colours the Comptometer Course (an early form of adding machine) at Success Commercial College in 1953. She joined Eaton's Mail Order Collection Department later that same year, a job she held until her second marriage when she became a full-time homemaker. As a child of the Great Depression, Doris knew the value of a dollar and sought to make the best possible life for her then only child Jim. She scrimped and saved so that she could buy her own new home on Chamberlain Avenue in 1955. Her parents lived with her and looked after Jim while Doris worked. In spite of her challenges, Doris still maintained an active social life. A mutual friend, Bill Byman, introduced her to her future husband, Roland. Since Roland was very preoccupied in building up his trucking business, then known as Atomic Transfer Ltd., Doris dedicated herself to her husband, children and home, establishing in the process a number of strong family traditions of getting together to celebrate birthdays, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas among many other milestones that we continue to this day. Always proud of the house she kept, Mum delighted in designing the floor plan of their dream home she and Roland built in 1983-84 on Park Blvd. South, which they enjoyed for 25 years. By 2009 and well into their 80s, Mum and Dad painfully realized that they could no longer take care of such a big home and decided to sell it in favour of an assisted living apartment in The Parkway. There they have lived happily full time for just over six years until Mum's passing. Thanks to Home Care (especially Zena, Joyce, Bola, Phyllis and Enda) Mum could stay with Dad in their apartment. The family would like to thank the first responders who whisked Mum in no time to St. Boniface Hospital where she was diagnosed; those who looked after her in Emergency at both St. B. and Victoria General Hospitals; the health care professionals on the fourth floor at the Vic., especially for attending physician, Dr. Badesha and nurses Susan and Debbie, who continued to provide for Mum's comfort and facilitate our around-the-clock accompaniment of her in her final hours. The family also thanks all those who visited, especially Pastors Don Engel, Ron Long and Rick Sauer, and all those, like friends, neighbours, and staff at The Parkway and St. Mark's Lutheran Church, who continue to provide much prayer and comfort in our time of need. Cremation has taken place. A service led by Pastor Don Engel to celebrate Doris' life and hope in the Resurrection of her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will be held at the Chapel Lawn Funeral Home, 4000 Portage Ave. at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 16, 2016, followed by a reception on site. A private family interment will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, for those who wish, donations may be made to the Roland and Doris Engel Family Fund c/o the Winnipeg Foundation, 204-944-9474, toll free 1-877-974-3631, or www.wpgfdn.org. We would be most honoured if you choose to remember our beloved Doris, the "gift", in this way. Rest in Peace, Doris. For those who wish to sign the online Guest Book please visit our website. Chapel Lawn www.chapellawn.ca 204-885-9715

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 02, 2016