June 15, 1918 - March 3, 2022
In loving memory ~
Vera Dutoff was born in 1918 to Alexander and Polly (Woykin) Dutoff and brother Peter. At that time the family lived in the Nursery area of Grand Forks, BC. When Vera was 2 weeks old, the family relocated to nearby North Fork (Bozhaya Dalyeena). In the years that followed, 2 more brothers, Nick and Fred were born. After living there 11 years, the family joined the Doukhobor Trek to Porto Rico, near Nelson, BC in protest of the upcoming world war where they spent camped out for the fall and winter. They then relocated to Glade, BC. for about a year. Soon after, Vera's parents were incarcerated in the Piers Island Penitentiary. Vera and her brothers were all taken to an Industrial School in Vancouver, BC. After a year there, the siblings were separated and sent to live with different families. When their parents were released from Piers Island, the family returned to Grand Forks, Initially renting a home below Spencer's Hill, then near Cooper Bridge. In 1940, the family created a permanent home in Gilpin, BC where Vera spent the rest of her Earthly days.
As an adult, Vera found work in the Okanagan, thinning and picking fruit and working in the packing houses. Each spring, she looked forward to helping her family plant their garden and then came fall, with the bountiful harvest, she helped with storage and preservation.
As Vera grew and matured, she certainly chose to live according to her own unique, strong, personality. Though her life approach was not quite the norm for women of those times, she did not concern herself about what others thought of her choices. She confidently forged ahead, and firmly established her independence with a strong determined faith in the outcome. As the years progressed, Vera became a mother to three children; (sons) Alec, Sam, and then daughter Katie. As a single parent, she worked hard at raising the children; teaching them to work hard and have a good work ethic. She taught them many homesteading and gathering skills. Vera was always very proud of her children, and especially proud of all her grandchildren who gave her such joy and hope for the future.
Vera became an accomplished seamstress early in life, sewing the majority of the family's clothing. She became very adept, without the help of a pattern, at taking a garment apart and making something new. In addition, she honed other skills such as spinning her own wool into yarn, knitting, crocheting and quilting.
Vera loved to garden and took immense pride in having an abundant bounty of vegetables and flowers. Eagerly sprouting and caring for her precious seedlings, even while there was still snow on the ground, she would then spend the majority of her summer tending her gardens. She proudly shared her harvest with visitors and always had LOTS of radishes (which reseeded themselves!) that she'd send home with all who came by. One year she stopped the train that runs through Gilpin and shared with the train crew. Her flower garden was always incredibly beautiful and colorful, especially with her favorite, Dahlias, which she grew in every color of the rainbow. One year she had accumulated near a thousand tubers. As her granddaughter Camilla created her own flower garden, Vera gifted her with the family dahlias, which she now grows in her own ever increasing collection.
Vera proudly and joyfully grew a garden every year until the age of 98, the last few years with help from family. By then, her age made it difficult to garden without risk, and so a compromise was made - Her family made sure she had many easily accessible flower planters to tend to. Vera loved visiting the local greenhouses to buy LOTS of flowers. In 2018, the year Vera turned 100, family friend Debra, and partner Robin asked if they could grow a garden on her plot. She was ecstatic to see her beloved garden spring to life again and joyfully shared her extensive years of gardening knowledge.
Vera lived in the same home in Gilpin until the age of 82. Anyone who'd visited her home throughout the years watched the riverbank erode more and more, getting closer and closer to the house. In 2000, the family set up a mobile home for her, the move creating some really big changes in her life. When anyone would ask how she liked her new home, she was heard to reply, "What's not to like?". She no longer had to cook on the wood cookstove, there was hot and cold water on tap, lights that turned on with a switch, and NO more kerosene lamps. She still really loved her wood heat and refused to give that up, and up until late last year, she was still able to feed her wood heater with easily accessible wood supplied by the family.
Anyone who got to know Vera was offered her vast knowledge of folklore and herbal remedies if she felt as though she could help! She strongly believed in natural, alternative healing and tried to avoid conventional medicine and modern doctors if possible. She was always happy to hear that she had helped someone feel better.
Vera did incredibly well in her advanced years, but as her health began to decline, she required more assistance with her daily life. With the help of her daughter Katie and son-in-law Peter, she was provided with the loving care, meals and company that she required to be able to stay in her house. On Thursday, March 3rd, 2022 at the age of 103, in her own home, Vera took her final Earthly breath surrounded by loved ones.
Vera was predeceased by her parents Alexander and Polly, brothers Pete, Nick and Fred, sons Alec and Sam, daughter-in-law Sophie, and granddaughter Sarah. She is survived by her daughter Katie and husband Peter Slastukin, grandchildren; Beverly (Steve), Kelly (Marissa), Lyonel (Giuseppina), Camilla (Joel), Kerri (Brent). Her great grandchildren; Alison, Holly, Graysen, Gemma, Rylan, Sam and Audrey, and many nieces, nephews.
We ask that if Vera ever hurt anyone with words or deeds, please forgive her. May Vera rest in eternal love and peace amongst all the blossoms in the Creator's garden.