Veteran Gummersall was a very visible representation of service in the community

April 20, 2023 · 0 Comments

Few were the Remembrance Day and Legion events where Dorothy Gummersall didn’t turn heads with her nursing uniform.

It wasn’t the uniform that most of us are used to seeing medical professionals wear today. The billowing, colourful cloak and white hat may have looked like a relic of the past, but they were very important to Gummersall, who served as a nurse in the Canadian Armed Forces.

Her face, if not her name, will be familiar to anyone who has lined the route of the Canada Day parade, Santa Under the Stars parade, Remembrance Day processions, or came in to Town Hall’s former Access Aurora desk with questions about municipal services and the community at large. Gummersall, who sometimes traded her uniform to channel Queen Victoria at a number of municipal events, including those for the Golden and Diamond Jubilees of Queen Elizabeth II, died April 10 at the age of 88, surrounded by family.

“Dorothy had an extensive career and many stories to tell,” her family shared. “She was a nurse in the Royal Canadian Navy and was dutifully engaged in her community. Aa a veteran, Dorothy was an active member of the Aurora Legion and, throughout her time, made positive impressions on many dignitaries. She also spent ten years volunteering for the Town of Aurora, answering people’s questions, and being a smiling face people could count on.

“Dorothy also had an immense interest in history, whether it be her family or local history. She was the founding member of the Richmond Hill Historical Society and a member of the Aurora Historical Society. She enjoyed dressing as Queen Victoria at various community events, having mastered the regal wave. Dorothy also had a beautiful voice, which was heard while she played piano or sang in many choirs. Dorothy was a beloved figure to all and will be dearly missed.”

Dorothy May Gummersall was born March 25, 1935.

Predeceased by her husband Alfred, she is survived by children Paul (Kimberly), John (Mary), and Cheryl; grandchildren Melissa, William, Krysta, Caroline, Paige, and Stephen; great-grandchildren Dalylah, Avalon, Rhyer, Jace, Nola, Mia, and Finnley.

By Brock Weir
Editor
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter