I was born, I blinked, and I died. Seventy-three years - they passed so quickly. But what a time I had!
I was introduced to the world by my late parents, Audrey and George Chandler. They were the first to teach me to love, to respect others, and to work hard. My siblings - Patricia Fera, late Judi Laroue (Bill Parr), Bonnie Pino (Ben), late George Chandler (Jocelyn) and Shane Chandler (Paula) - taught me to share, to tolerate others and, at times, to stand up for myself. I loved and admired them all, unconditionally.
I married my husband, Andrew Hepburn, in 1975. His love of travel, thirst for knowledge, and unfailing (albeit quirky) sense of humour filled my life with joy and adventure. He shared his three children with me (Kathleen, Colleen and Chris); I’m grateful for the continued support I received from his eldest, Kathleen Caron. Over the years, Andy and I fostered children together and adopted Carolyn. We spent some of our happiest times at our cottage at Havilland Bay. We even worked together for a number of years. Andy’s life ended in 2018. My life went on, but it was never the same.
My siblings blessed me with fifteen nieces and nephews whom I’ve watched grow up, develop careers and raise their own families: Dan, Tim, late Greg, Kelly, Don, Scott, Karen, Cami, Candace, Erin, Chris and Jeni. Due to circumstances and simple geography, I had a special relationship with my brother Shane’s children - Kirsti and her husband Carmen Medaglia and their daughter Ainslee; Kellyn Chandler and his wife Lisa; and Tiana Chandler and her sons Cohen and Connor. They were my surrogate grandchildren. I hope for the very best for all my surviving family members. Live your lives to the fullest.
My friends - you know who you are - I’m so sorry to leave you. Thanks for your love, support and encouragement. Thanks for sharing your lives with me. And neighbours - all my neighbours at Sunnyside Beach have been amazing, but a special thank you to Bruce Yarema, Catherine and Doug McGregor, Karen Robertson, Linda and Bill McKiggan and Emma Naccarato. Eternal gratitude to Michelle Callahan and Armand Grandinetti for taking on the care of Loki and O’Malley.
I have lived an ordinary life, but it was made extraordinary by the many people I have shared it with over the years. I was blessed beyond measure by knowing all of you.
I’ve asked my dearest friend, Joy Cohen, to finish this obituary for me, trusting in the honesty and kindness of her memories:
When Dona was told that her cancer was terminal, she went into in her typical organizer mode … she made a checklist. It was important for her to gain some control when faced with an uncontrollable disease.
Dona was endowed with many admirable qualities, but patience was not one of them. She wanted to get on with things on her checklist and found it frustrating when others did not share her sense of urgency.
Dona had a fiercely sharp mind capable of quickly cutting to the heart of the matter and coming up with creative solutions. This I know because I saw her in action as her real estate partner for 20 years. I believe she would have been successful in any job. She practiced random acts of kindness well before it entered our vocabulary. She appreciated offbeat humour and was the source of hilarious anecdotes, like the time she showed up at an early morning class at Sir Wilfred Laurier with a hanger still in her coat. And when it came to entertaining, keeping it simple was not Dona’s motto. Hers was if one salad was good, at least two were better and so on all the way through the meal.
Dona had a very strong moral compass. While eating at a restaurant many years ago, one of our coworkers made an antisemitic remark. Dona reacted immediately. She made it clear to me that she didn’t want to stay and socialize, so we left. The remark was personally hurtful, but I might have let it pass. Dona did not.
Quite simply, Dona had my back and I had hers. I was extremely lucky to have her as a best friend for over 40 years. Contributing to her obituary has been an honour. I know she would have done the same for me.
At my request, there was no public funeral service. Cremation has occurred, with interment at Hillside Cemetery, Prince Township. If you wish to make a donation to the charity of your choice, please do so. Better yet, perform a random act of kindness and make someone smile.
Arrangements entrusted to the Arthur Funeral Home - Barton & Kiteley Chapel (492 Wellington St. E. 705-759-2522). Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.arthurfuneralhome.com for the Hepburn family.