CRUICKSHANK, Dorothy Margaret
Age 97, Halifax, and formerly Truro. It is with great sadness we announce the passing of our dear mother, Dorothy Cruickshank on March 25, 2024. Mom was born in Truro on November 18, 1926, and was a daughter of the late Fred L. and Jean C. (Macintosh) Smith. She is survived by her three children, Catherine Cruickshank (Andrew Burnett) of Victoria, British Columbia; John Cruickshank of Griffin, Georgia; and Jim Cruickshank (Lori) of Halifax; her six grandchildren, Lauchlin Burnett (Kate) of Ottawa; David Burnett (Deanna Wolfe) of Halifax; Chris Burnett (Jes) of Kelowna; Nich Burnett (Elyse Sandl) of Vancouver; Elizabeth Cruickshank (Jeff Rideout) of Shubenacadie; and Michael Cruickshank of London, England; and by her five great-grandchildren, Harper, Blake and Mackenzie Burnett, and Toby and Louie Wolfe-burnett. Dorothy is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, A. Gordon Cruickshank; brothers, Perley, Harold, Leland, Raymond, Lloyd, Donald (in infancy); and sisters, A. Jean Moore, Joyce Fisher and Dorothy (in infancy). She was the last surviving member of her immediate family.
Mom graduated from Provincial Normal College in Truro (Class of ’45), and taught in Truro area schools, ending as a Grade one teacher at Alice Street School. After retirement as a teacher and raising her children, Mom returned to teaching at the Truro Play School, where she was “Miss Dorothy” to many classes of three-year old students. A love of children and teaching was at Mom’s essence, and was a wonderful and abiding gift received by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In the Spring of 1946, while teaching at Lower Debert (her first teaching assignment - a one-room schoolhouse where she taught Grades 1-10) Mom met her soulmate, our father, Gordon. Dad was a local boy who lived just down the road in Glenholme. Their first date was a trip to the movies (Paper Moon). Mom forgot her umbrella in Dad’s car, which gave Dad the excuse to see Mom again. And the rest is history. Mom and Dad married in 1951 and had 49 wonderful years together until Dad’s passing in 2000. Highlights for our family were many extended camping trips, and in later years, Mom and Dad travelled extensively with their “Itsby Bitsy” Boler camping trailer, creating memories that Mom cherished for the rest of her life.
Mom was a lifelong resident of Truro, until 2022 when she reluctantly gave up her home at 91 Smith Avenue (after 67 years) and moved to the Berkeley Gladstone in Halifax. At the Berkeley, Mom found a wonderful and welcoming new community, and she made many new friends during her time there. Although Mom moved away from Truro, her ties to Truro remained strong, including at First United Church, where Mom was a lifelong member, and also a member of the U.C.W. Unit A.
We have learned in Mom’s final months that Nova Scotia has a wonderful palliative care system, and we want to thank all of the doctors, nurses and caregivers who provided Mom with excellent and compassionate care. We also want to thank the kind staff of the Berkeley Gladstone, for everything they have done for Mom in her final years.
A memorial service in celebration of Dorothy’s life will be held in Colchester Community Funeral Home, 512 Willow Street, Truro, on Monday, April 1 at 2:00 p.m., Rev. Catherine Crooks officiating. A reception will follow in the funeral home. Burial will take place at a later date in Robie Street Cemetery, Truro. Please consider a donation in Dorothy’s memory to a charity of your choice. Online messages of condolence can be sent to: www.colchestercommunity.com