Obituaries: Dollie Yvonne (Gardiner) Grimes

Dollie Yvonne Grimes, 90 years, of Jubilee Lodge, Eston, SK, passed away on Friday, January 27th, 2023.

Dollie was born Sept.12, 1932 to Charles and Mildred Gardiner, she was the ninth child of thirteen. There were seven boys and six girls. Dollie and her younger brother Stanley are the two surviving members. They were raised on a farm and schooling was down the road in Richlea, SK.

Dollie married Gordon Grimes, Sept. 1, 1951. They had three kids, Donna, Loretta and Harold. As of today, Dollie has eight grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and five step-greats. Her daily life revolved around family, taking care of the meals, laundry, ironing and mending. And don’t forget the food! Preserving food for winter, baking cookies, cakes and loaves often, and bread, buns, and pies every weekend. Much baking was done for the Eston Hospital Auxiliary fundraisers too. She also enjoyed knitting and crocheting, many newborns received little sweaters, booties and hats. Most family members have an Afghan made by grandma.

She liked to coffee with friends and often was winding curlers into their hair or giving them the “Toni” home perm. Many Sundays were spent at the Gardiner farm with her siblings and all those children they produced. And rarely did Dollie miss a week of Sing-Song at the Jubilee Lodge.

Summers she packed picnic lunches for the ball tournaments Gordon played in and in winters the family became “Rink Rats”. Gordie loved to curl and as the years passed, she followed him from Prince George, BC to Peterborough, ON pursuing the provincial title from Brier thru Seniors and Masters. They also travelled to Rome, Canary Islands, Marakesh, Orlando, San Diego and Vegas…courtesy of Massey Ferguson thru Owens and Sweitzer 1972 Ltd.

The summer holiday was a trip North to small lakes with cabins, for a week of fishing, swimming and waterskiing, although Dollie had a fear of water. Eventually there was a cabin at Coteau Beach on Lake Diefenbaker so now here was a fish feed every possible weekend for friends, family and whoever else showed up.

When she wasn’t following Gordon, she enjoyed jigsaw puzzles, cards and boardgames, word find, curling in women’s bonspiels, and actually won awards for her volunteering and bowling! One of her proudest accomplishments was saving up enough “tip $$$” working at the “P P” Motel restaurant to buy her first automatic washer and dryer.

Beloved wife of the late Gordon Grimes; mother of Donna Shea, Loretta (Wes) Carlson, and Harold (Janet) Grimes.

There will be a Celebration of Life held for Dollie April 8th 2023 at the Eston United Church at 2:00 P.M.

The interment will be at the Eston Cemetery before the celebration of life at 1:00 P.M. on April 8th, 2023

 In lieu of flowers memorial donations in Dollie’s name may be made to Eston Caring Hands with donation information below.