Doreen Gronning is unstoppable

By Joan Janzen

One of the most recent residents who has made Caleb Village her home is Doreen Gronning. Before moving to Caleb, she had lived in her home in Kindersley for sixty-four years. Enjoying independence is appreciated by all seniors, but even more so by Doreen, who lost her sight almost five decades ago.

Doreen was born in 1938 at Tuprose, Saskatchewan, a town which no longer exists. It was located six miles from Kyle, Sask. Doreen, her parents, brother, and sister lived on a grain farm in that community.

Doreen Gronning enjoys living at Caleb Village in Kindersley. Photo by Joan Janzen

Her parents were originally from Norway, and her father suffered from Tuberculosis. He had built a new house but passed away a year later in 1947. “He only got to enjoy it for a year,” Doreen said. “Mom decided to move to Saskatoon and rented out the farm.” Doreen and her siblings had attended school at Tuprose, but the school closed down after they left.

“My mom had a hard time,” Doreen said. “I praise my mom for making ends meet the way she did. She would take in four to ten boarders. And we all had a good education so we could be independent.”

When she was in Grade 10, Doreen met her future husband. “He was going to Kelsey to be a mechanic and was living at my cousin’s home,” she explained.

She graduated from high school in Saskatoon, and the young couple got engaged at Christmas that year. “I went to secretarial school, and we got married in the summer of 1958,” she said.

Doreen’s husband worked at Keller and Cameron in Kindersley for many years, and their first daughter was born in 1959. Due to injuries sustained in a fall, she suffered from numerous daily seizures and sadly passed away two weeks before her thirtieth birthday. The couple had three more daughters born in 1961, 1964 and 1973.

In 1974, Doreen’s life changed drastically. There was a lot of snow that year, she explained. Doreen took her oldest daughter to a doctor’s appointment in Saskatoon; her other daughters also came along. The visibility was poor on the drive home.

“I told my mom I’d phone her when I got to Rosetown, but she never got the call,” Doreen said. “There was a bad accident, and a semi-trailer was on my side of the road, and I ran into it.” It took rescue personnel an hour and a half to cut her out of the vehicle.

Two of her daughters were hospitalized for ten days, and Doreen was hospitalized for three months. After losing her sight, she was nervous about how her children would react, but they all adjusted quite well.

“I was a Kinette at the time, and they would have my family over for supper once a week. Meals on Wheels were delivered after I got home,” she explained. “Living in a small community, everyone was there to help.”

And there was additional help available for Doreen. She felt blessed to take a two-month-long adjustment training program with CNIB in Saskatoon. “They trained me to do things I thought would be impossible to do,” she said. Doreen was then able to begin cleaning, cooking and washing clothes for her young family.

Not only did she enjoy gaining independence while working at home, but Doreen also enjoyed holidays with her family. “We went camping every weekend, sometimes at Cutbank,” she said.

Sometime after her accident, she was paired up with a seeing eye dog. “It was awesome to have the freedom and independence, and I was glad I had that opportunity,” she said.

After her canine companion passed away, Doreen travelled to BC to meet her next seeing-eye dog. Both dogs lived to the age of 14 years.

“You get really attached, so it’s hard when they go,” she said. Her cat was also very close to the dog and always slept next to the dog’s bed.

Doreen’s circumstances may have changed, but she once reminded her peers at a Kinsmen function, “I’m still me.” And Doreen wanted to get a job and wasn’t going to let her circumstances stop her.

She enrolled in a Reflexology course along with her 14-year-old daughter. “It was a short course,” she explained. “I didn’t think people would come see me.”

But people of all ages from many different locations came to see Doreen at her Reflexology clinic. “It helped with many different health issues. I carried on reflexology until my health deteriorated,” she said.

Doreen’s life-long partner tragically died at the age of 72. Now Doreen has four grandchildren, one of whom was born on her birthday.

Not only did Doreen benefit from everything CNIB offered, but she contributed to the organization as well. “I was head of a CNIB support group for 30 years. We met once a month and would have speakers come in to encourage people,” she said.

After moving to Caleb, Doreen fell and injured her hip. But in her typical determined manner, she faithfully continues her daily exercise program after undergoing surgery. Doreen also enjoys playing cards with her friends at Caleb.

“Everyone is so friendly here,” she noted.

Doreen attributes her long and happy life to more than simply her determination. “I feel it’s important to always have a positive outlook on life, because then you can do things,” she said. “And I really believe in God. Without my faith, I don’t know where I’d be.”

It was a pleasure to meet you, Doreen. You truly are unstoppable.