Doreen Edna Buhler, who passed away at the age of 96, led a challenging yet extraordinary life. Following her father’s death, she departed from the farm in Calahoo, Alta., her birthplace, and established a new life in Edmonton. There, she worked alongside her husband at his family’s diner before becoming a widow at 39. Despite this loss, Buhler drew strength from her faith and supported her 13 children by working as a baker, pastry chef, and cook in various kitchens across the city.
In a poignant twist, Buhler’s legacy did not end with her passing. As per her final wishes, she generously donated her body to the University of Alberta’s Anatomical Gifts Program to facilitate the education of future medical professionals. Brigid Burton, speaking at a special service honoring anatomical donors at the university, fondly described her mother as “incredible” and highlighted the unexplored chapter of Buhler’s life.
The annual memorial, held on campus by the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, brought together students and faculty to pay tribute to those who had bequeathed their bodies to the program. Attendees gathered in a campus lecture hall to hear donor names read aloud and observe a moment of silence before families were presented with fresh-cut yellow roses. Dr. David Williams, chair of the surgery department, expressed gratitude to donor families for upholding their loved ones’ wishes and enriching the education of numerous U of A medical students each year.
Anatomical donations play a pivotal role in various health and research programs on campus, including medicine, dentistry, kinesiology, physical therapy, and physical education. The university’s Anatomical Gifts Program, in operation since the inception of the medical school in 1921, is one of the few donor programs in universities across Canada and the United States. Program coordinator Jason Papirny revealed that the university typically receives between 50 and 80 donations annually, with over 10,000 individuals having expressed their intent to donate.
For Burton and her brother Anthony Buhler, the memorial service provided a sense of closure. Reflecting on their mother’s life and her decision to donate her body, they viewed her act as a continuation of the generosity and selflessness that defined her existence. With her time as a donor concluded, they plan to lay her ashes to rest beside her husband, bringing a final sense of closure to an incredible legacy that spanned over two years.
