Obituary of Doris Aileen Potts

1927 – 2013 Our beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother passed away peacefully on Monday May 13, 2013 at Ridge Meadows Hospital in Maple Ridge. Doris was born in Sointula B.C., the Finnish utopian settlement on Malcom Island, on November 25, 1927 to Harold and Aili Malm (Tynjala). Doris’ mother Aili was the first girl born on the island and Doris’ grandmother was the midwife who birthed perhaps as many as 200 people over the years. Doris attended elementary school on the island and secondary school in Vancouver. Doris was married to James Townley Potts, a combat veteran of WW II and career Vancouver firefighter. They were married for 52 years until his passing in 2000. Upon leaving Britannia Secondary School, she attended art school, became a commercial artist and did some high profile work in Vancouver until marriage and children changed her direction. Though not working in the field, she pursued painting as a hobby during the time she raised her family. Doris actively pursued and was personally responsible for, the introduction of left-handed scissors to Canada during the 1950’s. For her successful efforts, Chatelaine Magazine made her their Woman of the Year. Once her children were in secondary school, Doris went back to school herself and graduated from the Education Faculty at U.B.C. after years of dedicated study. She taught elementary school in Vancouver for many years and during that time, was a Faculty Associate at S.F.U. She was highly respected by her peers and loved by many of the students whose lives she touched. Doris is survived by: her son Tom Potts (Helen) of Kelowna B.C.; son Michael Potts of Burnaby; daughter Terri McCafferty (Chuck) of Maple Ridge; grandsons James Potts, Michael Potts, Daniel Potts, Scott McCafferty (Julie); granddaughter Katelin Van der Pauw (Rylan); great grandsons Oliver McCafferty and Greyer Van der Pauw; nephews John Malm of Surrey, B.C. and Steve Hoas (Hilda) of Sicamous B.C.; and niece Laurie Hoas of West Kelowna. There will be no formal service by her request, though a private celebration of her life by family and friends will take place in the near future. Her ashes will rest with her mother Aili Sophia Anderson, in the cemetery at Sointula B.C. Her humour, strength and unconditional love will be missed by us all. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada at http://mssociety.ca/en/