An adventure-filled life came to a close, September 16, 2021 when Dorothy Leonore Halkett (nee Barber) passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family. She was predeceased by her husband of 71 years, Gavin in 2015; her mother, father and sister.
Born in Calgary, grew up in Edmonton, moved to the island in 1948. She was a concert pianist at 15 and a music teacher for 40 years.
She enrolled in flying school and got her Pilot's license in 1967.
Leo, as she liked to be called, had many interests, ran for Alder-Person in Nanaimo. Didn't win but it whetted her appetite for politics. When her children were grown she enrolled as a mature student in UVic's Political Science Courses, getting her degree in 1980. She followed political issues both Federal and Provincial and was particularly sorry not to see the results of the Federal election.
She had a great love of life and nature. She was an avid gardener, an environmentalist before it was popular, purchasing the first Prius in Nanaimo.
She was a champion of those trying to make change for children and the environment. Leo was a voracious reader, often reading 2 books a week and keeping a journal of the most important issues that the writer offered.
She and Gavin were great travellers. They took their four children on a camping trip across Canada in the early 60's, spending 7 weeks discovering Canadian landscapes, reaching as far south as Pelee Island in Ontario and as far East as Tyne Valley on PEI. Continuing the travel into their 80's, they covered trips overseas to England and Scotland.
One of their more unusual trips was going behind the Iron Curtain as members of Vets Against Nuclear Arms (VANA) and protesting in Red Square.
They followed up that trip with another to Russia after Glasnost. Further travel was in Greece, sailing the Aegean Sea, West to Europe via the Orient Express, then later to Australia and the South Pacific.
Locally they sailed and motored up and down the West Coast of Vancouver Island and the Mainland. They travelled by car to Mexico and the Western States.
Leo is survived by her daughter Carolyn, sons Philip, John & Gordon, 6 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren, her nephew and niece in Alberta and nephew and his family in Australia.
A special thank you to the Wexford staff for their care and support. No celebration will take place as per her request.
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