Obituary of Lois Doreen Watkins
WATKINS, Lois Doreen
July 3, 1930 – March 18, 2021
Lois, in her 91st year, passed away peacefully at Innisfree House following a brief illness. She will be deeply missed by her daughters, Linda Coultes (Ken 2019) of Elmira and Debora (Paul) Bruder of Kitchener. Loving and proud Grandma and Great-Grandma to Darrell and Leigh, Evan, Taylor; Adam and Heather, Aaron, Becca, Brady; Trevor and Maggie, Robbie, Penny; Amanda and Jason; Laura and Christopher, Jakob, Olivia, Abbygail. She is also survived by her sisters-in-law Barbara Watkins (Dave 2020) of Elora, Gwyneth Watkins (Robert Lyon) of Guelph, and Dorothy Ruller (Mel 2017) of Elora and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband Ron (2016), daughter Dianne (1985), parents Charles and Gladys Ruller, and brothers Melvin Ruller and Clyde Ruller.
Mom enjoyed many adventures and activities over the course of her life. She ran the office of Watkins and Chatterson Mechanical Contractors until their retirement. She was a Past Commander of The Canadian Power & Sail Squadron, Kitchener, a member of the Newmar Kountry Klub which allowed her and Dad to travel extensively in their motorhomes across Canada and the United States. A fifty plus year annual subscriber to the KW Symphony Orchestra, a lover of fine wines and delicious food shared at too many to count family dinners, backyard parties and barbeques, and who was the Maestro of making apple pies and apple sauce. Mom shared her July 3rd birthday with Taylor and our memories of annually shared celebrations will always be so special. She loved her hair salon visits with Liz and in her last few years, weekly trips to Colleen, her lunch dates with Deb, and driving her shiny red car to pick up her favourite goodies from select bakeries. She loved reading, listening to music, watching the Blue Jays games, doing puzzles, and was a proud member of the 100 Woolwich Women Who Care organization since its inception. We will miss her being with us, but we take comfort in all of the wonderful memories that we will carry in our hearts forever.
Mom had many lifelong friends, and over the last five years, made very special friendships with her neighbours at The St. Jacobs Lofts. Thank you to them all for their kindness and caring to Mom. We would also like to thank Bev for the love and care you gave Mom these last weeks to allow her to continue living on her own until she could no longer do so. We are forever thankful for your help. Thank you as well for the evening care provided by Home Instead; the comfort knowing someone was checking in on Mom when we could not always be there was wonderful. Our sincere thanks and deepest gratitude to all of the wonderful nurses and support staff at Innisfree House. The compassion, care and comfort you provided to Mom this final week, warmed our hearts and made her final days so peaceful. We thank you so much.
Cremation has taken place. A private family interment service at Elora Cemetery will be held in the spring. Arrangements entrusted to Dreisinger Funeral Home, Elmira, Ontario. As expressions of sympathy and in lieu of flowers, donations to Innisfree House or House of Friendship would be appreciated by the family and may be made through the Dreisinger Funeral Home.
To donate, please send cheques to or call the charity of your choice listed below. Please call us at the funeral home, 519-669-2207 and we will place a card to the family (as always, we still accept cash or cheque at the funeral home).
House of Friendship
PO Box 1837, Station C, Kitchener, ON N2G 4R3
519.742.8327
Innisfree House
2375 Homer Watson Blvd., Kitchener, ON N2P 0E9
Phone: 519-208-5055 ext. 251 to donate by credit card
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