Dorothy (Dottie) McClelland - Lt. Col. (Retired)

Peacefully at the Winchester District Memorial Hospital on February 26th at the age of eighty-seven. Predeceased by her husband Rodney Sieffert and her parents William and Agnes (Baird) McClelland.  She is survived by her brother Bill (Marcia), her sister Patricia Stott-Prince, nephew Dan (Connie); nieces Wendylee, Jasmine (Jerry), Morgan (Jess), Joanne (Dan) and Vicki (Gary), several great-nephews and nieces along with brothers-in-law, Fred (Barb) and Don Sieffert.

Dottie (as she was affectionately called) graduated from the Ontario Hospital, Whitby, Ontario in 1958 and initially worked at Winchester Hospital. She then enrolled in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) as a Pilot Officer Nursing Sister. She then trained for armament and electronics engineering and was promoted to Flying Officer. In 1960 she enrolled in the Tri-Service Nursing Officer’s Course and qualified as a Nursing Officer reporting to RCAF Station Rockcliffe Hospital, Ottawa until its closure. She then joined the operating room staff at the new National Defence Medical Centre (NDMC), Ottawa as Head Nurse of Central Sterile Supply.  She then completed an extension course in Nursing Unit Administration through the University of Toronto.

1963 found her at the RCAF Station hospital in Goose Bay, Labrador – then onto British Columbia headquarters medical inspection in Vancouver and then onto RCAF Station Comos.  Promoted to Flight Lieutenant, she trained as a Flight Nurse in 1965.

Her first overseas posting took her to Wing Hospital at Zweibrucken, Germany, where she enjoyed traveling Europe during her holidays.  In 1967, she returned to Ottawa to manage the Central Sterile Supply section of the operating room at NDMC. Now a Captain, she attended the University of Ottawa in their baccalaureate program in nursing sciences, graduating with a BScN.  She was then posted back to Germany to take charge of the operating room at the new CFB Lahr.  There she met her future husband Rod, who was also serving in the military.

Back in Canada in 1974 she assumed the duties of Operating Room Supervisor of CFB Hospital Esquimalt on Vancouver Island.  Subsequently returning to Ottawa for a French language program, she remained in Ottawa and led the out-patient department and emergency room at NDMC, a position she held until 1978. Then she was appointed Senior Nursing Officer at CFB Borden.  Promoted to Major she was re-assigned back to NDMC in Ottawa, becoming the OR Supervisor.  After two years, she joined the staff of the Surgeon General at National Defense Headquarters (NDHQ) as assistant to the Director of Nursing Services.  During this time she was Acting Chair of the NATO Nuclear Planning Group “Montebello 83.”

Four years later, she became Career Manager for the Nursing Classification and was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel. She then returned to NDMC, Ottawa as the Director of Nursing. In 1990 she was assigned a job with the Director General Ceremonial as Chair of the NATO Nuclear Planning Group “Kananaskis 90”.

Dorothy retired from the forces in 1991 after a thirty-two year career.  She and her husband Rod lived in Kingston after retiring and had many enjoyable years sailing and touring in their RV until his death in 2015. Rest in peace Dottie.  You will be missed by family, friends, nursing sisters and your furry companions Kissa and Allie.

Special thanks to Dottie’s summer friends at Quinte for their TLC over the past few summers; to her long-time family physician Dr. Adina Bierenbaum and to all the wonderful doctors and nursing staff at Winchester District Memorial Hospital who cared for Dottie in her last few weeks. 

A graveside service will take place at Beechwood Military Cemetery on Saturday, May 3, 2025 at 10:00 am with reception to follow at Beechwood.  In lieu of flowers, Dottie would prefer donations to the Kingston Humane Society or Winchester District Memorial Hospital.