Rev. Dana Jane Rodgers

Surrounded by love and in her own home in Ottawa, on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, Dana Jane Rodgers died at the age of 87.  Dana was born on July 29, 1938 in Toronto, to parents John (Jack) and Beth (Johnston) Rodgers.  She is survived by her loving children David (Lindy) and Katharine (David) and is most warmly remembered by her dear grandsons Daniel, Benjamin, and Maki.  She was predeceased by beloved brother David and sister Barbara. Dana grew up in London, attending Medway Secondary School, and in Regina, attending QDS/St. Chad’s Girls’ School.  Dana made lifelong friendships during her high school years, especially with her dear friends, Carolyn Barber and Penny Malone.  She was a graduate of Western University, Wilfrid Laurier University, and later in life, Huron Theological College.  At Western, she met and married Walter Creery and they began their family together.

Dana had several exciting careers, working in a variety of helping professions. She was a librarian in Willowdale, a child protection social worker with Huron-Perth Children’s Aid Society in Stratford, and social worker on the Organ Transplant Team at London Health Sciences Centre.  Dana was a longtime member of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Kirkton.  In 2000, Dana was ordained as a priest in the Anglican Church of Canada, Diocese of Huron, serving the parishes of St. Paul’s, Essex, and St Columba’s, Waterloo.  Her compassion made a difference in the lives of others in each of these roles.  She valued the friends she made throughout the years in Stratford, Regina, Huron County, London, Essex, and Elora. In March, 2020 Dana moved from her community of friends in Elora to Ottawa to be close to her family.  She treasured the time she spent in The Glebe, enjoying the canal, the shops, the parks, her garden, the trees, and all of the time spent with her beloved grandsons and family.

Dana will be remembered for the passion with which she pursued the causes she believed in, from helping to build and maintain an alternative school in Toronto, to marching in support of Cesar Chavez’s United Farm Workers, to founding Optimism Place, Stratford, to provide safe housing and support for women and children experiencing domestic violence, to lifelong participation in environmental causes.  Dana was most recently  passionately engaged with Save Our Water Elora/ Wellington Water Watchers as they took on (and won!) a mammoth case against Nestle International.  Always vigorous  in defence of her beliefs, her bravery was often a model for others. Dana was a unique and special woman who will be greatly missed by many.

We would like to sincerely thank Dana’s exceptional physician, Dr. Allison Eyre, and the whole staff of Lord Landsdowne, The Glebe, especially Tammy, Leila, Ruth, and Jean-Luc, for their deeply respectful, compassionate care. Our deep appreciation also goes to nurses Gabriel and Chinwei from the excellent St. Elizabeth’s Palliative Home Care Team for their supportive end of life care.

A Funeral Service will be held at Beechwood Cemetery Sacred Space, 280 Beechwood Ave., Ottawa, on Tuesday, September 9 at 1:00, with visitation preceding from 11pm to 1.  A reception for all will follow the ceremony.  The funeral service will be livestreamed starting at  1:00 pm at ttps://funeraweb.tv/en/diffusions/114866.

Donations in Dana Rodgers’ memory may be sent to WaterFirst https://www.waterfirst.ngo , to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, or to the charity of your choice.