Doris Pauline Wolfe 1932 – 2015 Daughter, sister, aunt, great aunt, and friend, Doris Wolfe passed away at the Manitou Lodge, Watrous, on Thursday, February 5. Doris Pauline Wolfe was born on September 6, 1932 on the family homestead farm near Imperial. She was the third child of Walter Harrison Wolfe and Mary Ellen Wolfe (nee Hunt). She received her education at Imperial Schools. Doris was a very bright student and excelled at school. From grades 6 to 10 she was promoted to the next grade without having to write an exam, only having to write them when they became mandatory in grades 11 and 12. This made quite an impression on her baby brother and to this day he is still in awe of this achievement. A gentle soul, Doris took care of her elderly parents, living with them in Watrous and attending to them before they passed. Even though she spent the balance of her life in town, her upbringing on the farm was apparent in her interest and connection with the land and the natural world. Doris had a life-long interest in art and liked to sketch wildlife. In particular, her nieces remember her sketch of a very realistic owl that hung in the picture window of her home. She was concerned about smaller birds flying into the window and being harmed and this owl certainly did the trick. An avid reader, Doris had a great curiosity about the world that allowed her to discuss many topics when her brother and his family came to visit. She loved gardening and had an encyclopedic knowledge about plant names and their characteristics. She raised and cared for all types of indoor and outdoor plants. She had a keen sense of smell and could almost identify a plant just by its scent. An image that has stayed with her nieces is of her leaning over flowers and taking in their fragrance, for a moment transported. She would break off a part of the plant and rub it between her fingers and determine its health and whether it had seeds that could be used. She would patiently answer questions about what the different plants were and would explain, never brushing off a question. Doris grew wonderful red and orange raspberries and blackberries in her back yard and must have had at least 20 bushes. Every summer she would give her nieces pails so they could enjoy them (half going into their stomachs, the other half actually making it to the table for that night’s dessert). Doris liked to keep her mind engaged. She loved puzzles and games. Her nieces always looked forward to their yearly summer visits to find out what was the newest challenge. Doris would offer gentle advice while they struggled. She was a skilled checkers player and more than once let her young nieces win. Doris introduced the game of crokinole to her nieces which, in turn, has been introduced to their children. Doris’ faith was an important part of her life and sustained her through recovery from a stroke and later, blindness. She was part of the Salvation Army in Watrous until it closed and then joined the Baptist church. Doris enjoyed attending services at the Watrous Baptist Church, teaching Sunday School and going to bible study. While gentle in nature, Doris also had a fierce determination. After her stroke, she diligently did the exercises set out by her physical therapist to regain some of her lost mobility. Doris was predeceased by parents Walter and Mary, elder sister Sarah and elder brother Brian. She will be fondly remembered by younger brother Alan and sister-in-law Sheila Wolfe of Winnipeg, niece Corinne Wolfe-Betz of Toronto (Vaughn Betz), great nieces Victoria, Katherine and Emily, niece Laura of Winnipeg, great niece Madeline Paulic and great nephews Owen Paulic and Benjamin Paulic. Doris was a quiet and caring person and will be sadly missed by all who knew her. The family would like to thank Dr. Flagel and Dr. Tingey and the caring and compassionate staff at Manitou Lodge where she spent the last years of her life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Watrous Community Health Foundation.