Remembering Ed Dorosz
By Jen Shields
(Reprinted from The Oyen Echo August 22, 2000)
Veterinarian Ed Dorosz made a big impression in our community. Ed, Sandy and their family moved to town in the early ‘70s. Always a riot when Ed came on a call. Often he would bring Sarah and Sean, his two children. Though there were kid things to do, we preferred to watch the doctor at work.
Ed always did something fascinating like castrating a yearling bull that had slipped through at branding, pulling calves and performing C-sections. Most intriguing was an autopsy on a horse that had the misfortune to colic. He explained what he was doing and why, satisfying a child’s ghoulish curiosity with a physiology lesson about horses.
As a child, I spent much time at the clinic that was also the Dorosz home. Many animals came, big and small, and different treatments were performed. Watching was learning.
I learned about animal care. Why it was a favour sometimes to put them to sleep (euthanize). Valuable yet difficult lessons have enabled me to understand and make distasteful decisions for the good of pets and stock.
Although Ed was a busy man, he always made time for a cup of coffee and a quick visit. The community felt the loss when Ed and Sandy relocated to pursue other interests. We missed not only his skill but his friendship and his family.
The clinic Ed built in Oyen stands today. It is operated by two excellent vets, who are much appreciated.
Our community continues to reap the fruit planted by Dr. Dorosz.
I learned of Ed’s death with regret. I am sure many in the community were equally shocked and saddened. Ed made a difference to many lives, both human and animal.
Street dedication ceremony
The cake: Cody Colbe made and decorated the cake with assistance from 9-year-old son Ryan. PHOTO BY TRACEY HUDSON, REMEMBER WHEN PHOTOGRAPHY.
Decorations: Mindy Good created a cozy atmosphere with personal items along with silk flowers, jugs, wooden horses and a crying cowboy borrowed from Dianne Spath, Recreation Director at Oyen Lodge. PHOTO BY TRACEY HUDSON, REMEMBER WHEN PHOTOGRAPHY.
On March 12, 2021, Big Country Agricultural Society sent a letter to Steve Kuhn, Interm CAO for the Town of Oyen. It read:
Greetings Steve and Town of Oyen Council members
We respectfully ask that 11th Ave. E be named Dorosz Dr. in memory of Dr. Emund R. Dorosz, B.S.A., D.V.M. (a vet who served this area from 1973-1982, 3rd BCAS president, visionary, artist, author) who spearheaded the building of the present bull-a-rama grounds and laid the foundation in blueprints and much discussion that later lead to the building of what is known as the Crossroads Centre. Considering numbers rather than a name are faster to find in the case of an emergency (although both should be keyed into the ambulance GPS finder) we would respectfully request the street sign say: Dorosz Dr (larger letters on top line) and 11th Ave. (smaller underneath.
Thank you very much for your consideration at the next regular council meeting.
A short time later, BCAS received word that Council had approved the request but because of Covid-19 and several other reasons the ordering of the sign was delayed. BCAS wanted to dedicate the street along with another function.
August 17, Open Farm Day, would be perfect. Reconstruction of the Crossroads Centre and cold storage building following the severe hailstorm of two years ago began in July. If all went to plans the Crossroads would be finished in time. It was not.
BCAS decided to go ahead with the dedication on August 17 with only a few weeks to prepare. The Dorosz family set aside the date. Shirley McClellan of Medicine Hat, MLA at the time of the ground breaking at the Crossroads Centre and instrumental in assisting the society to apply for grants, accepted an invitation. We reached out to Mayor Jones and the councilors.