Dorothy Alexandra Howett, nee Oswald (1914 – 2007)

Dorothy Oswald was born in Burnaby, British Columbia. She studied for a BA at the University of British Columbia before completing nursing at Royal Columbian Hospital. She married William Howett, an English-born civil engineer, in 1938. They operated a bookstore in Vancouver for four years then moved to Yukon.¹⁾ Dorothy practiced nursing in the Mayo Hospital and Bill found work with United Keno Hill Mines and Conwest. They moved to Whitehorse and shared a heritage house with Alex Berry of Yukon mining fame. Dorothy worked in Mac’s Fireweed store on Main Street and with the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation).²⁾

Bill died in 1968, and Dorothy joined the Yukon Chamber of Mines where she acted as secretary-receptionist. She was a very strong member of the team and taught the annual prospecting courses. Dorothy took a lively interest in the activities of prospectors and volunteered for the Yukon Prospectors’ Association for many years. A few years after Dorothy retired, she moved to Creston, British Columbia. Dorothy Howett was made a Life member of the Yukon Chamber of Mines in March 1988. She was inducted into the Yukon Prospectors’ Association’s Honour Roll in 1989 in recognition of her long-time devotion and support to the prospecting industry. Her name is engraved in the base of the bronze prospector statue that watches over downtown Whitehorse from Main Street and Third Avenue.³⁾