Frances Dafoe CMOOnt | |
---|---|
Full name | Frances Helen Dafoe |
Born | (1929-12-17)December 17, 1929 Toronto,Ontario, Canada |
Died | September 23, 2016(2016-09-23) (aged 86) |
Figure skating career | |
Country | ![]() |
Retired | 1956 |
Medal record |
Frances Helen DafoeCM OOnt (December 17, 1929 – September 23, 2016) was a Canadianpair skater. She was born inToronto, Ontario. Competing withNorris Bowden, they captured four Canadian titles and twoWorld Figure Skating Championships. They also won the silver medal at the1956 Winter Olympics.
Dafoe and Bowden won the1954 World Championships in Oslo, with 11.014 points.[1] They retained their title in 1955, this time in Vienna.[2][3]
They also won the silver medal at the1956 Winter Olympics.[4][5] The couple was coached bySheldon Galbraith.[6]
In spite of offers Dafoe described as lucrative, she and Bowden did not elect to go professional.[7]
After retiring from competition in 1956, they criticized the Canadian Amateur Figure Skating Association for not doing enough to support its members at tournaments.[8] They were suspended later that year from acting as panel judges at championships, a decision they characterized as retaliation for their comments about the association.[9]
Despite this initial setback, she ultimately served as a figure skating judge in Canada and at international competitions including the Olympics.[10][11]
Dafoe studied at theParsons School of Design, and became a costume designer with the CBC.[12] She worked there nearly 40 years, designing costumes for various shows. She also designed the performers' costumes for the closing ceremonies at the1988 Winter Olympics.[13]
In 1991, she was made aMember of the Order of Canada (CM) in recognition of her contributions as one of Canada's first world pair champions, as an international judge, and as a fashion designer.[14]
Dafoe was married Norman Melnick, and had two sons.[15] She died on September 23, 2016, at the age of 86.[13]
Event | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winter Olympic Games | 5th | 2nd | ||||
World Championships | 4th | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 2nd | |
North American Championships | 1st | 1st | ||||
Canadian Championships | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |
Event | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 |
---|---|---|---|
Canadian Championships | 3rd | 3rd | 1st |