Dorothy (“Dee”) Read, matriarch of Canadian ski family, dies at 77{mosimage}Dee Read passed away quickly at the Foothills Medical Centre on May 8, 2004. The matriarch of one of Canada’s great ski families, she was 77.

Born in Montréal, QC on June 21, 1926, a life-long devotion to the out of doors was developed from a young age in the Laurentians north of Montreal, as a camper and counsellor at Camp Ouareau and skier with the Penguin Ski Club of St. Adele. She became one of Canada’s most accomplished ski racers, winning the 1948 Dominion Championship at Mt. Norquay.

She attended McGill University graduating in 1948 with a Batchelor of Science. Marrying John Read in 1948, raising her children became her focus along with her passion for gardening, golf and skiing.

The ski family was her life. From her background as a competitor, she shared this experience in many leadership positions including Alpine Chair for the Alberta Alpine Ski Association, Board Member for Alpine Canada and a respected ski official as a Technical Delegate of the International Ski Federation. Dee would volunteer for any task at a ski race, from course control to gatekeeping. In her later years continued to enjoy attending many provincial, national and international alpine and ski jumping events to watch her grandchildren and also follow the progress of many aspiring potential Olympians from Alberta and across Canada.

In addition to her love for ski racing, Dee was a devoted Ski Friend of Lake Louise, guiding visitors from around the world and sharing her passion for skiing and the Canadian Rockies.

This life-long devotion to athletes and sport was recognized in by the Calgary Booster Club who named her Sportsman of the Year in 1990 and by the Canadian Ski Museum who inducted her into the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame as an athlete and a builder of the sport in 2001.

Carly King, Curator of the Canadian Ski Museum wrote:

Dorothy (“Dee”) Read was inducted into the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame (Formerly the Honour Roll of Canadian Skiing) in 2001. She wore many hats throughout her years of involvement in alpine skiing – as a competitor, a coach, an administrator, a technical expert, and as a mother of four ski racers.

Her contribution to skiing in Calgary, in Alberta, and in Canada has been immense. Her knowledge of the sport has been exemplary and above all, in spite of her intimate family involvement in alpine racing, she maintained a rare, and highly respected, objectivity.

Through the many years of involvement, she most likely contributed more to Alpine ski racing than any other Canadian – a statement which she, more than others, would contest. But then again, her contribution to the sport came so naturally – she truly loved the sport.

Pre-deceased by her husband John, she is survived by a loving family including four children Jan Coleman (Rick), Ron Read (Laura), Ken Read (Lynda) and Jim Read (Heather) and nine Grandchildren, Kim and Dave Coleman, Andrew and Stefan Read, Erik, Kevyn and Jeffrey Read, Taylor and Tianna Read. A celebration of this remarkable life will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday May 13th at the Chapel of the Bells on Centre Street North in Calgary. Emails of condolences may be sent to condolences@mcinnesandholloway.com. Subject heading: Dee Read.

As she devoted her life to skiing and to raising awareness of cystic fibrosis, which afflicted her grandson Andrew, in lieu of flowers donations would be appreciated to either the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at 512, 206 – 7th Avenue S.W., CALGARY, Alberta T2P 0W4 Tel: (403) 266-5295 or to the Dee Read Fund for Athlete Development at Alberta Alpine Ski Association 88 Canada Olympic Road SW, CALGARY. AB T3B 5R5 Tel: (403) 247-5600.