After a long and courageous battle with cancer, the Lord called home His precious child, Mary Joanne Dormer, on Friday, September 1, 2017, at the age of 81.

 

We as her family were blessed with a wife, mother, and grandmother who loved and prayed for us, who had a strong faith, and who taught and tutored us by word and example right up to the moment that her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ embraced her. She held on to Isaiah 26:3 – “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee because he trusts in Thee.”

 

Mary Jo, as she was affectionately known, was predeceased by her parents William and Joanne Kiteley, as well as her brother Bill Kiteley.  She leaves behind all those family and friends who bless her memory, and is survived by her devoted husband of nearly 58 years, John; her five loving children, Rod (Jan), Brian (Cathy), Brenda (Bert), Murray, and Pam (Steve); and her cherished grandchildren, Ben (Ashley), Danna (Shogo), Jenna (Brendan), Jillian (Karl), Jesse, Tobi Jo, and Jamie; and her dear stepmother and specially loved friend Magdi Dormer. 

 

Mary Jo will be sadly missed by many extended family members so dear to her and countless special friends too numerous to mention. Indeed she was a much loved wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend. 

 

Mary Jo was born on March 6, 1936 in Trail, British Columbia. Following her dream many years later, she was attending nurses' training in Medicine Hat when her journey with John began.

 

While John was visiting the Medicine Hat Church of God with the Alberta Bible Institute choir, he noticed Mary Jo although he never spoke with her. He also saw her picture on his roommate's desk as she was dating his ABI roommate at the time; and Mary Jo was familiar with John's face from the pages of the ABI yearbooks. They finally met on a bus in Edmonton when Mary Jo, John, and his sister Margaret were travelling to the same church. After asking her out, John travelled back and forth from ABI in Camrose to Edmonton/Westlock and then to Athabasca where Mary Jo worked after finishing her training.

 

On one of their dates in Athabasca, John proposed to the love of his life, they married a year later on October 3, 1959 in Medicine Hat, and attended ABI together. Upon graduation from ABI, they moved to Blythe, Ontario where Rod and Brian were born. In 1965, they moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba where they completed their family with Brenda, Murray, and Pam being born there.  John and Mary Jo moved to Plum Coulee in 1986 and then to Morden in 1992.

 

Mary Jo was a woman of deep faith and loved to read and study the Bible. Throughout her life, she was a true prayer warrior who prayed daily for each of her loved ones by name.  She created a chart for each day of the week so she would not forget to pray for all of her family, friends, and missionaries. She was very active in her church, whether it be with Bible studies, prayer and share times, or visitation.   Her strong faith was an example to all and an encouragement to anyone who crossed her path – even up to her last day on earth. She also had an active ministry of sending birthday and anniversary cards to family, friends, and missionaries. 

 

“Dear”, Mom, and Gramma, you are finally at peace. We miss you but cherish our time with you and celebrate your total healing. A celebration of Mary Jo’s life will be held at the Morden Church of God, 141 6th Street, on Saturday, September 23, 2017 at 3 p.m. In Mary Jo’s memory and to her delight, donations will be gratefully accepted to the Gideons International in Canada.