We share this obituary pubilshed in the Vancouver Sun, March 20. 

After an extraordinary and all too short life, Dawn passed away peacefully March 15, 2024, at Lions Gate Hospital, North Vancouver, with her family surrounding her with love.

She was the loving and much devoted wife to Carl for 40 years and the adoring mother to Angela (Brendan Robertson) of Bowen Island, James and Caroline of Vancouver. She is survived by her mother, Doris Siegel of Pembroke, and her mother-in-law, Glenda Saunders of North Vancouver, her dear sisters Karen Nelson (Paul) of Ottawa and Joanne Instance (Bill) of Pembroke, and her brothers-in law, René Saunders of Coquitlam and Peter and Karen Saunders of North Vancouver. Dawn was a devoted and caring aunt to Mark (Amanda Eldridge), Matthew and Meredith Nelson, Mary Ellen Schroeder (Jordan Connors) and Allison Schroeder, as well as Nikolas, Bryce and Nolan Saunders. She was also a special great aunt to Hazel Nelson and Jaydan Connors.
Dawn was born to Vic and Doris Siegel in Pembroke, Ontario where she grew up excelling academically and athletically. She was part of the first graduating class at Fellowes High School. She went on to study physiotherapy at Queen's University, graduating in 1978. While at Queen's, Dawn and Carl met and went on to maintain valued and lifelong friendships with many Queen's alumni.

She was passionate about her chosen profession and was active in the profession her entire life as an owner of Hollyburn Physiotherapy in West Vancouver. She was recognized as a mentor, teacher and leader in her professional organization. Dawn had many other passions including skiing, golfing, gardening, singing with the Bach and Espiritu choirs for over 35 years, playing tennis competitively at the North Shore Winter Club, and boating in Indian Arm and Sproat Lake. She was a faithful member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church where she participated in many of the church's activities. She enthusiastically volunteered for several charities including the Canadian Cancer Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Dawn embraced life to the fullest: travelling, prioritizing family time, taking on new challenges, and always attending to those around her. Sadly, her life was cut short by her diagnosis of endometrial cancer which she faced with patience, dignity and grace.
Her family wishes to thank the teams at the BC Cancer Agency and Lions Gate Hospital Acute and Palliative Care Units, as well as the North Shore Home Care Support Services for the exceptional care Dawn received throughout her illness. Thank you also to the many friends and loved ones who supported the Saunders family with food, messages and love.

In lieu of flowers and in gratefulness for Dawn's life, donations may be made to either the Canadian Cancer Society or the Heart and Stroke Foundation. A celebration of Dawn's extraordinary life will take place at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church on Saturday, March 30th at 1:30PM.

Please honour Dawn's legacy by embracing all that life has to offer and holding close your family and loved ones.

March 24: Passion Sunday: 10:00AM - Service of Holy Communion with dramatic reading of the Passion Narrative and choir anthem

March 28: Maundy Thursday: 6:00PM  - Soup Supper, followed by Service of Holy Communion and Stripping of the Altar

March 29: Good Friday: 2:30:PM -  Stations of the Cross

March 31: Easter Sunday - 10AM -  Resurrection of Our Lord with Service of Holy Communion and Installation of Church Council

Lutheran Pastor Lee Ann Pomrenke from St. Paul Minnesota muses about why so few of us go to church between Palm Sunday and Easter - She attributes it to us not wanting to face the truth about ourselves - our own capacity to betray,  to turn away from suffering, our instinct for self-preservation.  Here is an excerpt.  Read her whole post here.  Do you agree with her assessment ? Why or why not?  

Sadness over the suffering of Jesus, the tragedy and injustice of it all, is not really the problem. Instead, I find myself trying to avoid taking in what his “followers” are doing, as the creeping feeling of familiarity touches the corners of my memory.

The betrayal of Judas is the most blatant sin, such that we rarely identify with him. I’m much more often in the camp of everybody else around the Maundy Thursday table wondering if or arguing that it couldn’t possibly be me who will betray Jesus (knowing full well that any one of us is indeed capable of it). It is that constant, low-level denial of how low I might actually sink, when my neglect to stop injustice could turn into a death sentence itself. I do not want to think about it. But that does not mean it isn’t there.

Somewhere between my joyful hosannas at God’s presence among us and the empty tomb there is also my significant potential to betray — not only to not prevent death of God’s beloved, but to let it happen by underestimating the impact of my actions or inaction. I know I deny my own power to prevent or impact climate change, mass incarceration, inhumane immigration policies and so many more injustices. But as long as I am not Judas initiating the betrayal, I’m good, right?

I identify with the napping disciples, the ones so weary that they physically shut down and go to sleep while Jesus is praying for his life in the Garden of Gethsemane. I do not want to examine all the times I have shut down from compassion fatigue. What impending violence — to the earth or humankind — have I ignored in order to be able to sleep at night? About whom have I told myself: Their problems are not mine, so I cannot do anything about it?