Doreen moved to McKellar and then Parry Sound as a young child from ‘the farm’ near Powassan. As a young adult, she moved to Toronto to work at Bell Telephone. She then returned to Parry Sound where she started her family and ran Kerr’s Red & White Grocery Store with her husband Alec for many years. Doreen then worked for several years at Anderson’s Fabrics. After retirement she moved to North Bay to be close to some of her family.
Doreen was also an excellent seamstress and knitter and overall crafter extraordinaire. She successfully owned and operated Doreen's custom sewing for several years. Family members all have at least one item something made by her… if not several. She loved gardening, enjoyed spending time with family and friends and of course a cup of tea. Family was definitely her number one priority.
Doreen Was predeceased by her parents Gladys and Edward Gougeon, her brothers, and sisters- Marg (Rob) Bill (Doris), Jack (Joan), Thomas (Gail) and Herb (Karen)
And will be missed by siblings Isabel (Bob) Hammel, Norma (Ken) Fisher and Audrey (Craig) Carpenter.
Doreen was also pre-deceased by her husband James Alexander Kerr in 1976, and then her second husband Thomas Milligan in 1983.
Doreen was the proud mother of Bonny (Bill), Sandy (Christine), Ian (Sherry), Heather, and Donald (Heather).
Doreen became part of the Milligan family and was stepmother to Marilyn, Gwen and Ken.
Doreen was a very special Grandmother, known to some as ‘Mama’, to Jenny (Nolan), Scott (Jennifer), Ryan (Sarah), Trevor (Shannan), Nathan (Janet), Kyle, Brittany (Devon), Bianca, Rebecca, Jacob (Amanda), Jordan (Jackie), Lucas, Mackenzie, Sandra, Leanne, Andrew, Nicole, and Kenneth.
Doreen greatly enjoyed being a Great-grandmother to Hannah, Alexander, Liam, Lauryn, Teagan, Keira, Sydney, Sylas, Regan, Kaylie, James , Phillip, Clara, Lincoln, Charlotte, Emma, Laura, Nick, Matthew, and Jordyn.
Doreen will also be missed by her many nieces and nephews.
A burial ceremony will be held Saturday Oct 2nd 11:00am at Sylvan Acres Cemetery followed by a reception at Torrance Funeral home Parry Sound.
Special thanks to everyone that provided care for Doreen at Marina Point, the nurses at the North Bay Regional Health Centre and particularly those in the CCU over these past months.
In lieu of flowers, Donations to the Alzheimer’s Society in her name would be appreciated.