Canadian Aviatrix #42 – Dorothy Renton (1913-2003)
Dorothy was born on 19 May 1913 to Roy Renton (a mechanic) and Jean Lindsay Cathcart.
|
1916 census |
1926 census |
1931 census | |
|
Moose Jaw SK |
Moose Jaw SK |
Moose Jaw SK | |
|
Roy |
32 |
42 |
48 |
|
Jean Lindsay |
29 |
40 |
16 |
|
Dorothy |
3 |
13 |
18 |
|
Alan |
1 |
11 |
16 |
|
James |
- |
9 |
14 |
|
Norma |
- |
5 |
10 |
|
Jean L |
- |
3 |
8 |
| Margaret | - | - | 3 |
By 1935, Dorothy was a stenographer.
On 7 June 1935, Dorothy passed her flying test and received her PPL, making her the 42nd female pilot in Canada. She was 22 years old.
Photo: The Vancouver Sun (April 24, 1943)
In 1941, Dorothy moved from Moose Jaw to Vancouver and joined the Flying Seven. (Her involvement in the group will be part of a separate article.)
On 30 August 1947, Dorothy married John Wesley Daynard (a metalworker, who became an instructor at the BC Vocational School) and they had two sons.
Dorothy was heavily involved in five-pin bowling – playing throughout the 1950s and 60s. In 1962, she was undefeated in every single game she played as part of the Vancouver Province Fivepin Match Play Championships.
In 1973, Dorothy’s son, David, died. He had been diagnosed with muscular dystrophy when he was 10 and passed away when he was 24.
Dorothy loved golf, bridge, knitting, volunteering and “travelling around the world meeting new people”.
Dorothy died in 2003, a month after her 90th birthday.
