Dorothy Canrinus
Dorothy Lucile Canrinus, a longtime Los Gatos resident and former teacher at Los Gatos High School, died on March 21 with her daughter, Kathleen, and son-in-law, Donald Anderson, at her side. She was 99.
She was born on Feb. 8, 1915, in San Francisco, the daughter of Italian immigrants Simon Tonietti and Mary Marengo Tonietti, and grew up in Los Gatos with her grandmother, Lucia Marengo, and her uncle, Vincent Marengo.
After graduating from Los Gatos High, she attended San Jose State College, where she earned a secondary teaching credential and was a standout in tennis. She held teaching positions in Berkeley and Palo Alto before returning to her alma mater to take a teaching job. It was at Los Gatos High where she met her future husband, Fred Canrinus, legendary coach and later the high school principal. They were married on July 18, 1943, and had two children, Kathleen and Michael.
Mrs. Canrinus helped found the Los Gatos Parent Nursery School, where she spent seven years as director. She also worked as a guidance counselor at Buch-ser High School in Santa Clara. In 1960, she suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident that left her partially paralyzed, without a well-functioning memory or the ability to walk, speak clearly or write.
“She would often say, ‘I’m so lucky,’ ” her daughter, Kathleen, said. “It was clear what she meant: Choose something to feel lucky about. Choose it in the worst of times, and find it even when nothing can be fixed. Dorothy’s life for the past 54 years was the proof that it can be done.”
Despite her injury, in the early 1960s she started playing cards once a week with Los Gatos friends, and continued for nearly 40 years.
When Mr. Canrinus retired, the couple moved to Santa Cruz, and after his death in 1985, she moved to Palo Alto to be near her daughter. For the past 12 years, she resided at The Terraces in Los Altos. She went on outings with family and enjoyed playing cards, spending time with family and friends, picnics, stories, music and the mountains.
A few years ago, Mrs. Canrinus was hospitalized for a life-threatening condition. “As she left the unit after being discharged, she called out to the staff, ‘Goodbye. Thank you, I had a wonderful time.’ Her words serve as a fitting epitaph,” Kathleen said.
In addition to Kathleen, Mrs. Canrinus is survived by her son-in-law Donald Anderson, her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband Frederick William Canrinus, her son Michael Anthony Canrinus (Francine Phillips), her parents, stepfather John Hillebrandt and brother John Hillebrandt.
Donations in her name can be made to Project Hope, 1854 Bay Road, East Palo Alto, CA 94303. For information about a fall memorial service, contact Kathleen Canrinus at kcanrinus@gmail.com.
–Judy Peterson