Mary Dover, O.B.E., C.M., LL.D.
Mary Dover came into the world as Mary Cross on Dominion Day, 1905. Her Calgary roots go deep-one grandfather, Col. J.F. Macleod, named Calgary and her father, A.E. Cross, was one of the founders of the Calgary Stampede.
At an early stage of World War II, Mary Dover enlisted in the Canadian Women's Army Corps, eventually attaining the rank of Lt. Colonel and the command of the main C.W.A.C. training centre at Kitchener, Ontario.
Subsequent to the war, Mrs. Dover entered the civic political battles and served as Calgary alderman in 1949-52 and 1957-60. During this period, she served on many aldermanic committees and at one time was Chairman of the Planning Advisory Commission Appeal Board and Chairman of Calgary and District Planning Commission.
Since 1960, Mary Dover has lived on the Calgary outskirts at Oksi Hill, Millarville. There she has been constructing pathways, thinning bushes, improving waterfowl habitat and whatever else it takes to build a naturalist's "garden" on nearly a quarter section of foothills woodland.