Dorothy Ann Dais

Surrounded by loved ones, Dorothy (Dottie) Dais passed away in Vernon, BC at the age of 88.  Dottie was born in Dallas, Texas on May 30, 1936, to Raymond Ernest Horsefield and Ellen (nee Crawford) Horsefield. She is survived by daughters Julia Dais (Craig Smith) and Jacqueline Dais-Visca (Rick Visca) as well as grandchildren Charlie (Skye), Madeleine, Katie, and Thomas. She is survived by her sister-in-law Joan Horsefield (David Horsefield deceased). 

Dottie graduated from Needham High School in 1953.  From a young age, Dottie loved to sing.  She attended University of Massachusetts in the music program for two years and then spent the next three summer, from 1955-1957, with a United Services Organization (USO) group of performers assembled by Dottie’s High School Music Director who invited Dottie to join as the group’s classical singer.  The USO group also included, among other performers, a jazz band, a cowboy who did rope tricks, a female contortionist, and several Rockettes.  The group performed in Iceland, Germany, the Azores, many Caribbean islands and Panama.  Highlights included island hopping in stripped-down military aircraft (no seats, no problem) and performing for thousands of US Military personnel at a base at the Panama Canal.  Although Dottie’s original intent was to study music at the University of Massachusetts after 2 years she transferred to Simmons College (across the street from Harvard) where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in microbiology.  During the cold war, Dottie put her microbiology skills to use at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) working in the field of biological weapons technology, as a response to potential Russian use of weaponized anthrax. (She’s pretty sure she didn’t sign an NDA.)   She met her future husband at a Simmons College/Harvard University dance.  After several years of dating, while he finished his law degree, she and Eugene Elbert Dais were married in 1958.  Upon his graduation from Harvard he was offered a position at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, while mom found employment in a molecular lab.  Both daughters were born soon after.  Eventually Eugene’s career led to a move to Calgary, AB, Canada in 1968. Dottie had trouble finding satisfying work and decided to go back to university and earn her Bachelor of Education degree.  She discovered quickly that teaching large classes of middle school students was not for her (too many seats, too many problems).  Instead, she returned to her first love, singing.  For many years, Dottie sang in the Calgary Opera Chorus, was the solo performer at Knox United Church, and lovingly sang Ave Maria at her daughter Jackie’s wedding.  To top it off, Dottie achieved a silver medal standing with her National Association of Music Teachers certification and she was recognized as “Best in the Province”.  When her first grandchild was born, she moved to the Okanagan where she was able to live out her dream of retiring by a beautiful body of water.  Every morning, she would watch the sun rise over Kalamalka Lake (lake of many colours) and enjoy the close knit community of Blue Water.  Dottie was a lifelong adopter of dogs in need of a home, so in lieu of flowers please consider donating to your local animal rescue group or contribute to Elder Dog Canada. https://elderdog.ca/  

Arrangements entrusted to

Cypress Funeral & Cremation Services

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