Dorothy (nee Charron) Bale
Honoured by Edward Bale (spouse), Lisa Fitzgerald (daughter), and Cody Fitzgerald (grandson).
Dorothy M. A. Charron became a resident of Temiscaming, Quebec on February 9, 1943. She quickly demonstrated that she would readily accept challenges and failure was not acceptable. Dorothy described this best when she told us about her first day of school. She immediately knew that the teacher and her classmates were speaking French, a language that she did not understand. Despite this, by midterm, she had earned the best grades in her class.
Academically, Dorothy was always the top student in grade school and high school in Temiscaming. Upon graduation, St. Joseph’s School of Nursing benefited because it was the perfect place for a clever, funny and compassionate person. In 1963, after graduating, Dorothy worked as a General Duty nurse in her alma mater for two years. Marriage to Edward Bale resulted in a move to Fredericton while Ed finished his studies. That year Dorothy worked in pediatrics.
Fellow classmates recently described Dorothy as “full of life”, “a treasure”, “vibrant”, and “could light up a room”. How could this person not succeed in the helping profession? For the next ten years, she was head nurse of the Pediatric Unit and the Emergency Unit in Maniwaki, Quebec. She was not overly ambitious but she never had difficulty finding a job. She was a good worker, well liked, and very enthusiastic. Employers sought her out. One such search occurred in an area where people lacked access to psychiatric assistance. Dorothy was asked and she agreed to accept a two year post graduate study and upon completion, she worked in a much needed satellite community psychiatric unit.
Nine years later, the Bale family moved to Iroquois Falls. Again Dorothy gladly accepted another challenge – four years of high school teaching. Her psychiatric training coupled with her classroom work later made her the leading candidate for a new position – Mental Health Consultant – followed by Program Manager of a residential treatment facility for adolescents.
Changing career paths made this lady a very much appreciated employee. Dorothy often joked about the large number of parties that were held in her honour when she left for a new position. Meeting new people was a pleasant experience for her. It was not unusual for her to make an effort to meet every person in the room before she left.
A new career path for Dorothy proved to be her final position in the “paid” work world. She was recruited as a Program Supervisor for the Ministry of Community & Social Services. This position she held for ten years before retiring. In all, she worked full time for 37 years. Looking back, she was very proud of her achievements and she often said that she enjoyed every position that she held.
Once retired, cycling, hiking, skiing, and skating became regular activities. As a Heritage Gardener, Doronthy loved the opportunity to meet visitors and to work in the waterfront gardens.
Upon her passing, Cody described Dorothy as “a grandmother like no other person I have ever met. Our strong bond could be felt in the many conversations we had and the moments we shared. There was never a dull moment when she was around. Her kindness, energy, and sense of humour made her special.”
