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Colleen Rae Winthrope (Commons)

September 9, 2016

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Colleen Rae Winthrope (nee Commons) died after a long illness on September 9, 2016 in Quesnel, BC at the age of 81.

Colleen is survived by her cherished husband, Donald Winthrope; Children, Valerie Winthrope (Ross Mitchell), Megan Winthrope, Sheila Hepburn (James); grandchildren Iain Wallis (Katrina), Beth ?tefãnu? (Sergiu), Taryn, Shauna and Jillian Hepburn; great grandchild Amelia Wallis, and her sister Coral Wanner.

Colleen was born on July 26, 1935 in Prince Rupert, BC to Ray and Mabel Commons, moving to Quesnel in 1939, via Burns Lake, BC as Ray was transferred as Manager of the Royal Bank.

Colleen graduated in 1953 in the first class to attend Quesnel Secondary School. During her teens, she worked as an usherette and candy counter girl at the Rex and Carib Theatres. She graduated from Sprott-Shaw Business School, in Vancouver BC, and Edmonton, Alberta, in 1954.

She was very proud of her employment as a Legal Secretary and Court Clerk to the Judge in Quesnel for many years.

She married Donald Winthrope, owner of Quesnel Plumbing and Heating, on June 16, 1956, at St. Andrews United Church, Quesnel, BC. Colleen and Don celebrated their 60th Anniversary this year.

Colleen was an avid reader, collecting first edition books of her favourite authors, and was also a volunteer at the Quesnel Library for several years. Colleen was an accomplished knitter and made many beautiful knitted gifts which her family still treasures. Over the years, her other hobbies included Petit point, sewing, and later, building her customized doll house and contents. During her time at Dunrovin, she enjoyed weekly Bingo games.

She had many other interests as well, including hockey, Royal History, and collecting porcelain figurines she referred to as “her Ladies”. Presenting traditional family dinners were special to her, and she very much loved helping Santa!

She was a very accomplished Bowler, being a member of the champion “400 Club” at Quesnel Bowling Lanes, as well as representing Quesnel at the Provincial Bowling Tournament in Kamloops.

Colleen also loved to travel, making her way to Hawaii, California, Mexico, Costa Rica and Alaska.

Her very treasured places were the cabin the family built at Quesnel Lake, and the condo in Hawaii which Colleen and Don visited from many years.

Colleen spent the past several years residing at Dunrovin Park Lodge following a damaging stroke.

A Memorial Tea in Colleen’s honour was held at St. John’s Anglican Church Hall on October 2, 2016.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to Dunrovin Park Lodge Resident Comfort Fund.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staff and nurses at Dunrovin Park Lodge for their kind, compassionate care and dedication over the past several years.

They would also like to thank everyone for their thoughtful and caring gifts, kind words and cards.