June 17, 1934-June 13, 2016
Shirley was born in Portsmouth, UK and immigrated to Canada in 1967 with her husband, Herbert, in response to a call for teachers in British Columbia. Shirley taught grade one in School District 71 from 1969 until her retirement in 1995, mostly at Tsolum elementary school. She leaves behind a legacy of former students who instinctively freeze into complete immobility upon hearing, “And.......stop!”
She was an avid gardener and a tennis player to be reckoned with, having won a number of tournaments and matches both in her younger days and well into her senior years.
Shirley was predeceased by her husband Herbert in 2002, and is survived by one son, Dennis, two sisters in the UK, Heather and Kathleen, and numerous nieces and nephews in the UK. She also leaves many friends, both in Canada and in the UK, who were a great source of help and support for her, particularly in her later years.
She requested, or rather demanded no memorial service. She did not specify whether there were any particular charities that were close to her heart, but she was very fond of dogs, supported mental health issues, and regularly donated to various humanitarian causes, including Covenant House in Vancouver for homeless youth. If there were a charity dedicated to preventing the abuse of the English language, she would no doubt be an enthusiastic supporter, having dedicated much of her life to correcting spelling and grammatical errors made by friends, family, and complete strangers. In light of the lack of the latter, any of her other causes would be grateful for donations.