Ann Taylor passed away peacefully due to a heart attack at her residence at Orchard Gardens, in Kelowna, B.C., on July 20, 2025, at the age of 93.
Ann leaves behind her beloved family; her siblings Lydia (sister), Al (brother), Larry (brother); her children and their partners Rita and Angus (son-in-law), Richard, and Jerry, Gale (daughter-in-law), Verna (an unofficially adopted daughter), Terri-Lyn (daughter-in-law); her grandchildren Brittney, Devin, Felecia, Marcus, Samara; and her great-grandchildren Dawson, Emily, Ben, Olivia, and Lincoln, as well as many friends. She is pre-deceased by her parents Arthur and Minnie; siblings Evelyn and Art (Arthur); her husband Harold; and her son Kurt.
Ann was born in 1932, in Southey, Saskatchewan, to Minnie Weber Dommasch and Arthur Arnold Dommasch. During the Great Depression, her family moved to Stratton, Ontario, and settled into farm life. Her upbringing consisted of delivering milk before school, and in wintertime rides in a covered sleigh with a wood heater to the schoolhouse. Ann excelled at her studies and took piano lessons. On this farm is where Ann met her late husband, Harold Kardel after he fled to Canada from war-time Germany at 17. After getting married in the 1950s, Ann and Harold started their family together, welcoming their daughter Rita into the world. Before long, their family grew with the birth of Kurt, then Richard, and Jerry. Ann & Harold relocated their family to Atikokan, Ontario. The family eventually made the decision to settle in West Kelowna, B.C.
Ann was determined to teach herself how to read, write and speak formal German, her husband’s mother language. Harold often joked that “her German was better than his.” Ann and Harold’s house was a popular one within the neighbourhood, many friends and family could be found there on any given day. Ann believed in an opened door policy and welcomed anyone and everyone into her home. Neighbours, her children’s friends, and anyone who had nowhere to go was welcomed at her house. She always had space for those who needed it, especially around the holidays. Ann would cook an amazing Christmas feast, and Harold would pick up as many of their unofficially adopted children as he could in his Jeep. She was always a fashionista and enjoyed sewing beautiful clothing for her children, including making elaborate dresses for Rita. She excelled at whatever she set her mind to.
When her children were school-age, Ann decided to go back to school herself and took a secretarial course, which led to her working at Monashee in their finance/accounting department for close to a decade. When Harold fell ill, Ann chose to leave her job to take care of him and be there for her children. Her family grew, as her children married and began families of their own. Ann and Harold welcomed their first two grand children, Brittney and Devin within the same year. Ann’s husband Harold passed away in 1990, after battling illness for many years. Ann’s interest and passion in her hobbies grew, and as did her family with the birth of three more grandchildren, Felecia, Marcus and Samara. Her door was still always opened to everyone, and she hosted many dinners and holidays in her home. She was a kind, generous, witty, sharply dressed woman, who was ahead of her time.
Ann spent lots of time with family in her later years. She also spent a lot of time in nature, walking, hiking, picking wild strawberries/Oregon grapes, and admiring flora and fauna, sharing her passion with her grandchildren. She cherished her moments with her siblings; Al, Larry and Lydia, her many nieces and nephews, (going back to Ontario when she could, and even the Dominican Republic); her children and their spouses, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren squeezed into whatever space could host them all.
In the twilight of her life, Ann did find companionship again with Joe, the two of whom could be found spending time together dancing, talking (debating), and listening to music together for many years prior to his passing. Ann expressed a deep gratitude for her family. She spoke to her sister Lydia every evening, for hours at a time. She loved spending time/talking with her family and always made time in her busy schedule to connect. She felt such joy seeing the next generation grow alongside her. Ann peacefully passed away at home and has many people waiting to greet her in Heaven. She will be dearly missed by all those she leaves behind, and her impact on her family and friends with be everlasting. She passed on her love of nature, making things with her hands (sewing, knitting, baking, cooking, etc.…) music, reading, good conversation and even her opened-door policy to those that knew her best.
Ann’s favourite song of recent years was “The Older I Get” by Alan Jackson, although she preferred the cover by Irish singer Clanna, I want to share a refrain that resonated for Ann:
“And the older I get
The truer it is
It’s the people you love, not the money and stuff
That makes you rich”
A Celebration of Life will be planned in the future.
