Dorothy Eloise Strickland

Dorothy Eloise (Huntsman) Strickland of Kamloops, BC, passed away Monday, January 5, 2026, at Ponderosa Lodge at the age of 93.

Early Life

Dorothy was born October 9, 1932, in Bellville, Ohio to Lloyd and Genevieve Huntsman, followed by brother Bobby and sister Shirley in 1934 and 1935 respectively. With the divorce of their parents in 1937, the children were placed in the Methodist Children’s home in Worthington, Ohio. Their father and his new wife Luretta brought the children home in 1940, and half-brother Lee was born in 1942.

Dorothy and her siblings lived with their father until June 1950 when their mother was awarded custody and they moved with her husband Sfc. Fremont Harrington to the US army base at Fort Riley, Kansas. In 1952, Sfc. Harrington was transferred to Anchorage, Alaska for overseas duty. The mother and three teenage children lived in Middleton, Oregon until he found a place for them to live. While in Middleton, Dorothy had a whirlwind romance with Franklin Eugene Strickland and on July 22, 1952, they eloped to Vancouver, WA.

Marriage and Family

Newlyweds Frank and Dorothy lived on the Strickland strawberry farm until they moved to their own home in Middleton in 1957 where they lived for ten years before moving to Tigard, Oregon, where they lived until 1972. Frank was a spot-welder at Portland Wire & Iron Works in Portland, Oregon, for 21 years.

Dorothy became a mother in 1953 when son Thomas Allan was born, followed by Daniel Eugene in 1955. A baby girl, Rebecca Sue, was born in August 1965, but only lived three days.

Career and Community

While in Oregon, Dorothy worked in many roles: Sunday School teacher, waitress, cook, retail clerk, receptionist, assembly line, newspaper correspondent, and was a member of the Sherwood-Tigard Home Extension Group for many years. Her summers were spent picking fruit, nuts and vegetables.

The family loved camping and fishing and enjoyed many vacations including a trip across America in 1966. After several vacations to Brockland Resort on Lac Des Roches in the Cariboo region of BC, they bought 40 acres on North Bridge Lake Road and built a small cabin. In August 1972 Frank quit his job and they immigrated to Canada. Although Tom chose to remain in Oregon, he helped them build an addition on the cabin just in time for winter.

In April 1973, Frank and Dorothy were hired to run Brockland Resort which they renovated and added on to. The resort offered cabins, campsites, boat and horse rentals, a pool room and gift shop. The resort sold in September 1979, so Dorothy and Frank moved back to their cabin.

The Stricklands embraced country living, growing a large vegetable garden and raising pigs, poultry, and a cow. They hunted and fished and preserved their meat and produce. They made their own sausages, head cheese and blood sausage. Dorothy canned 265 jars of produce one year and won awards for her canning at the Bridge Lake Fall Fair.

They integrated well into the Bridge Lake community with Dorothy serving as President of the Bridge Lake Women’s Institute, founding member of the Bridge Lake T.O.P.S. group, and writing articles for the 100 Mile Free Press.

Never afraid to take a chance, in 1978 Dorothy took a solo road trip from Lac Des Roches to Florida and back. She visited Tom in Oregon, Shirley in Colorado, her mother and stepfather in South Carolina and her father and his family in Florida. She visited places she had lived in Kansas and Ohio and looked up old friends and family members.

From May 1980 until 1983, Frank and Dorothy worked for the Rock Island Ranch, a private fishing lodge on Lac Des Roches. Dorothy was the cook and housekeeper, Frank was grounds keeper and fishing guide, and Park Attendant for the Bridge Lake Provincial Park.

Major Life Changes

After the deaths of her son Dan in 1982 and husband Frank in 1984, Dorothy left the community she had loved for 12 years and moved to 100 Mile House.

After completing a re-entry program for women, Dorothy went to work for J.P. Patches Custom Crests, a screen-printing company in 100 Mile House which she subsequently purchased and ran until she retired.

Dorothy had a romantic relationship with Melvin (Kayo) Higgins and later lived common-law with Edward (Ted) Parker until his death. Dorothy was close to Kayo’s daughter Alice and her children and Ted’s daughter Cora and her children and grandchildren.

Later Years

In retirement Dorothy indulged her passions for writing, history and genealogy by researching the Huntsman, Strickland, Harrington and Parker families, writing stories about her life and creating memory albums. She belonged to the 100 Mile Historical Society and was actively involved in the restoration and operation of the 108 Mile Ranch.

Dorothy had several pets during her life with her last pet being a teacup chihuahua she named Lady, a gift from Ted.

In 2014, Dorothy suffered a stroke and was unable to live alone without support. In 2015 she moved to Oregon to live with Tom and Rae. A year later she returned to her beloved Cariboo where she lived with Alice Higgins until 2017 when she decided to move to Kamloops. She and Lady moved into The Shores retirement home in November 2017 where they lived until a series of falls resulted in Lady being rehomed and Dorothy moving into long term care at Ponderosa Lodge in November 2022, where she lived until her death.

Legacy

Dorothy is remembered for her energy and enthusiasm for life, her courage and grace in the face of tragedy and adversity, her generosity and appreciation for the simple pleasures in life. She cherished her pets and enjoyed time with loved ones. She loved bright colours. She would happily get down on the floor to play with a child. She was a wonderful cook who never wasted anything. She was artistic and produced many pen and ink drawings. She had a beautiful smile, and her laugh would lift the spirits of any listener.

Dorothy was predeceased by her parents, brothers, husband Frank, children Rebecca and Danny, and partner Ted.

Survived by her sister Shirley (Harlan), son Tom (Rae), daughter-in-law Dawn (Mark), grandchildren Chris (Sonia), Jaime, and Tommy, step grandsons Monte and Eddie, great grandchildren Khristyn, Rachel, Evan and Eden, great great grandchildren Seth, Erik and Kennedy, nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank Dr. Sigalet and all of Dorothy’s care team at Ponderosa Lodge for the loving care they provided Dorothy in her final years.

A memorial service will be held Sunday, February 8, 2026, at 2:00 PM PST, in the chapel at Ponderosa Lodge, 425 Columbia Street, Kamloops, BC. A virtual option via Zoom will be offered. RSVPs to [email protected] are required for both options.

Arrangements entrusted to

Cypress Funeral & Cremation Services 250-554-2324

Condolences may be expressed to the family by phone or email through Cypress Funeral & Cremation Services: