April 12, 1945 - January 10, 2025
Dariel died – laughing as she often did – on January 10, 2025. Despite the cold, the sky was blue and the sun was out; her favourite kind of day, it reminded her of home. She was content in her decision to go and was confident that she’d soon be joining Stephen for a gin and tonic on the back deck before dinner.
She was many things to many people: teacher, advocate, leader, community-builder, volunteer, thinker, reader, theatre-goer, learner, gardener. Dariel was firm in her opinions, never afraid to share them (and not always gently), and almost always had room to hear from the other side. Unless the other side was Pierre Poilievre. She had no time for that and if her body hadn’t failed her, a PC government might have been her end. Whatever she was to the people around her, Dariel was most happy when being a faithful friend, a wife and companion, a mum, and a grannie – and she was so good at that, maybe even the best ever.
Dariel was born in Belleville, Ontario in 1945 to James Grant and Mary Saretta Sparling. Together they moved to Edmonton where Dariel met her first best friend and life-long buddy, Brigid, and eventually her next best friend, Stephen, who she married in 1970. Theirs was a love story that transcended norms and convention. Never did two people squeeze more out of “to have and to hold, for better for worse, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish”. They travelled the world, read all the books, grew gardens, hosted elaborate and debate-intensive dinner parties, and quietly taught the world to see past labels and to understand that “all you need is love”.
After moving to Calgary in 1974, Dariel took on a new role as mum. She loved every minute of her time with her son, Tim. She never grew too tired to have an adventure and always wanted to play one more game or read one more story. Their friendship was deep. He misses her. A lot.
In Calgary, Dariel was a teacher and school principal, mentoring new teachers, championing new readers, demanding (and not always gently) that everyone do their best. Later, she joined United Way helping to bring new social initiatives to Calgarians. She held fast to her drive to fight poverty and homelessness, and to shed light on historic and current injustices experienced by indigenous populations. Somewhere in there she found time to build more best friendships with Sharon and with Sara, bonding over shared experiences and stories.
In 2019, Dariel moved to Ontario to be closer to her favourite people: Aude, Elly, and Miriam, the three best grandchildren she ever could have dreamed up. They adventured together and read together, she taught them to make pickles and chutney, and she watched over them (and not always gently) while they grew into the beautiful humans she was so proud of. Their friendship was magical. They miss her. A lot.
Dariel was predeceased by Stephen in 2021. She never really recovered from that, though she gave it her all. Right up until the end Dariel was a juxtaposition: quietly living out loud. It was the only way she knew how to live.
A memorial will follow in due course. In the meantime, donations can be made in Dariel’s memory to United Way Perth-Huron and designated to United Housing (www.perthhuron.unitedway.ca) directly or through Rutherford Cremation & Funeral Services. 804 Ontario St., Stratford. 519-271-5062.
