It is with heavy hearts that we announce the peaceful passing of Dorothy Gazankas on September 21, 2026, in Red Lake, Ontario, following her courageous battle with pancreatic cancer with family at her side.

Dorothy is survived by her brother Dwyre Francis Kennedy, devoted husband of nearly 62 years, Gary Gazankas, and her children Debra (Kevin), Marnie, and Gary Victor (Katja). She will be dearly missed by her grandchildren Cassidy (Carl), Emerson, Seanna (Wes), Hayden, Taryn (Cole) and Paige, as well as her extended family and her many friends.

Dorothy gave generously of her time to the community she loved. She was a long-serving member of the Royal Canadian Legion Ladies Auxiliary, served as President of the Balmertown Figure Skating Club, and served as President of her local unit of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF), where she was a steady voice for her colleagues.

Dorothy lived life to the fullest. She found her greatest joy in the simple and beautiful things: her flowers, which she tended with patience and pride; the birds that gathered at her feeders, which she could watch for hours; and her beloved puppy Sadie, who was rarely far from her side. She had a way of making every day count, and everyone who knew her was better for it.

A Prayer Service will be held on Friday, October 9, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at the Red Lake Catholic Church. The Funeral Service will take place on Saturday, October 10, 2026, on what would have been Dorothy and Gary’s 62nd wedding anniversary, at 11:00 a.m. at the Red Lake Catholic Church, followed by a private family interment. A Celebration of Life, just as Dorothy wanted, will follow at 2:00 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion Lounge.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Dorothy’s memory may be made to Lucky Mutts, a cause close to her heart through the Red Lake Chapel, Box 237, Red Lake, ON P0V 2M0 or by etransfer to rlfuneralchapel@shaw.ca.