In Memoriam

Dorothy Anne Baragar (née Shaw) BA’42, MA’47

Dorothy BaragarDorothy passed away peacefully at home on June 19, 2012, with her husband of nearly 57 years, Robert (Bob) Baragar, BASc’50, at her side. She is survived by their sons, Geoffrey (Diana) and Marc (Maria) of Vancouver; beautiful granddaughters Claire and Elyse; a sister, Gwen (Doug) of Deep River, ON; and numerous loving nieces and nephews on both sides of the family.

Dorothy was born in Victoria, BC, on September 20, 1920, to Forest and Edna Shaw. She attended Victoria schools and College, then UBC, where she earned a BA in biology and MA in zoology. Following teaching assignments at Trail and Cowichan Lake, she spent two years as science mistress at St. Margaret’s girls’ school in Folkestone, UK.

In 1953 she began a doctorate in education at Teachers College, Columbia University, NYC. There she met Bob at International House where both were staying, and in 1955 they were married. Following a year in Cambridge, England, they moved to Ottawa. Bob began a career with the Geological Survey of Canada and Dorothy embarked on motherhood (Geoffrey) and, when possible, thesis‑writing. But the Ottawa stay was short‑lived; they were transferred by the survey to Yellowknife for four years. Returning to Ottawa in 1963 with another son (Marc) Dorothy embarked on a career in librarianship after earning a degree at Ottawa University. This led to 17 years as librarian in Ottawa area high schools.

Following retirement in 1986, Dorothy gave in to a life’s ambition and travelled by various modes, by herself, around the world. More travel followed, but arthritis, strokes, hearing‑loss and a speech‑impairing pulmonary disease reduced her final years to a confined and limited existence, the natural vivacity so characteristic of Dorothy tragically dampened.