Obituary of Irma Doan

Irma passed away peacefully in her sleep at Bridlewood Trails Retirement Residence in the early morning of Thursday, September 18^th, 2025, in her 98^th year. She was the beloved wife for 70 years of the late Reginald Doan and the loving mother of Brian Doan (Nancy Rogers) and Elsa Roy (Paul, deceased). Special grandma to Jessica Roy (Chris Willey), Kaela Roy, Michael Doan (Ami Harbin) and Andrew Doan (Joy Dumlao), and great-grandma to Teresa and Eveline Willey, and Cleo and Iris Doan.

Irma was the youngest daughter of Modesto and Teresa Dallan (nee Camazzola) who had immigrated to Cobalt in the early 1920s from the Veneto region of Italy. Like her older sister Mary Steele (Mac), and brother Peter Dallan (Marina), Irma attended Ste Thérèse Separate School and then Cobalt High School. Her first official job after leaving school was at the splint factory in Haileybury, ON. A year or two later she was hired at Larry Stadelman’s bookstore on Prospect Street in Cobalt – Mr. Stadelmann had wanted a bilingual clerk, and Irma was fluent in English, French and Italian. She worked there roughly 3 – 4 years until she married Reg in 1950. As a teen and young adult Irma also helped many immigrant neighbours and friends who struggled with English to complete their income tax forms. She was a homemaker while Brian and Elsa were growing up and then from 1971 – 1976 worked in Dr. Dunning’s office on Silver Street in Cobalt as his receptionist, once again making use of her multilingual skills.

From an early age, Irma learned to sew from watching her mother. As a 9 or 10-year-old, she would sneak upstairs to sew clothes for her dolls. She had a natural ability to make up her own patterns. As a teen, she sewed her own clothing, and as an adult, her family’s clothing, including Hallowe’en and figure-skating costumes, and even a couple of guitar cases.

She kept an immaculate home, sometimes having to be creative in the middle of chaos while Reg was building any one of their 3 homes. She cooked tirelessly and every year made bread and pastries, jams, preserves and pickles. Her delicious Bolognese sauce, passed down to her children and grandchildren, is still enjoyed today. Irma was adept at many crafts. Never idle, she kept busy knitting slippers, socks, mitts, gloves, hats & sweaters. She crocheted and embroidered and even upholstered furniture. She continued sewing and altering clothes well into her 80s despite worsening arthritis in her hands.

After leaving Cobalt in 1980, Irma & Reg lived in North Bay for 17 years and then retired in Ottawa in 1997 to be near Elsa and her grandchildren. Fiercely independent, she loved her Kanata bungalow and only grudgingly gave it up at age 96 due to her declining health.

We would like to thank Dr. Angela Khanna and all of the dedicated staff of Bridlewood Trails for the wonderful compassionate care given to Irma during the past year. Donations to the Canadian Cancer Society gratefully accepted.