City's 'Lady of the Lake' succumbs to heart attack

By Dan Hilborn, Burnaby Now assistant editor
Published Oct. 18, 2003


Doreen Lawson, 75, a longtime Burnaby city councillor and the first female president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, died in Burnaby Hospital last Saturday night, after suffering a heart attack.

Lawson, who was known as 'the Lady of the Lake' for her tireless efforts to make Burnaby Lake a wildlife preserve, started her political career in the 1960s as a Burnaby parks commissioner, and then spent 23 years on Burnaby municipal and city councils.

Her three daughters, Wendy, Lisa and Linda, were by her side as she passed away.

"Mom was most proud of her work with Burnaby Lake, making it a regional wildlife park," said daughter Lisa Lawson-Styffe. "She loved animals and thought that it was so important to keep the lake available for the birds.

"The other thing she was proudest of was the city's open creeks and stream policy," Lawson-Styffe said, adding that the policy was largely responsible for the preservation of groves of trees in new subdivisions in the city.

After her retirement from politics in 1999, Lawson focused her attention on travel and attaining an art degree from Emily Carr College of Art and Design. She had several public showings of her paintings and photographs of birds, animals and flowers.

Upon her retirement from politics, Lawson was presented with a specially bred rhododendron called the 'Doreen Lawson' and had a park bench dedicated in her honour.

In 1997, she was presented with the Vancouver Natural History Society's 'Frank Sanford Award' for her dedication to environmental concerns and, in 2002, she was presented with a Queen's Golden Jubilee medal for her contributions to the community.

Sometimes the lone opposition voice on council, Lawson was the executive director of the B.C. Liberal party in the mid-1980s.

While she was able to travel around the world after her retirement from politics, Lawson developed complications from a blood condition when she was in Australia, and never completely recovered.

A memorial celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, Nov. 1 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Crystal Ballroom at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown Hotel. Light refreshments will follow.