June 27, 1952 – July 4, 2015
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Shirley Isabelle Stewart. Shirley passed away peacefully at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Comox, BC,
July 4, 2015.
Shirley was born in the same hospital. The fourth of six children to Jim and Isabelle Edgett. She was predeceased by her parents, stepfather Ray Scott, brother Barry Edgett, sister-in-law Carol Edgett, father-in-law Gordon Stewart and mother-in-law Lila Stewart.
Shirley is survived by her husband Dale, daughter Erin (Dan) Eigler, son Munro Stewart; granddaughters Niomi Espinili and Sonja Eigler; sister Lynda Hornstein (Jack), brothers Ross Edgett (Donna), John Edgett (Karen), Phil Edgett (Jean) all of the Comox Valley; step-brother Mark Scott (Lynn) from the Yukon, and sisters-in-law Marijanne Edgett of Maple Ridge and Norma Stewart (Wayne Chappell) of Saskatoon; nieces and nephews Jim Edgett of Vancouver, Joanna Edgett (Brandon) of Nova Scotia, Tara Smith (Mark) and son Linden, Jamie Edgett (Justin) and daughter Brynlee, Kelsi Hornstein (Rick and son Braiden), Colton Hornstein all of the Comox Valley, Shoshana Green (Jamie Kirkpatrick) and son Colin from Toronto, and great friends since early school days Paulette Grieve (Rick) from Courtenay and Catherine Griffin (Tony) from New Zealand.
Shirley grew up in the Comox Valley and graduated from Georges P. Vanier Secondary School. She enjoyed the arts. She acted in school plays and with a drama club in Saskatoon, but singing was her passion. She took singing lessons, participated in competitions, sang at various functions and sang with the United Church Choir no matter where she lived. In 1972 her cousin Melva Lilburn came to visit her and Shirley flew back to Saskatoon with Melva for a visit. She met Dale Stewart and one thing lead to another. Shirley moved out to Saskatoon and married Dale a year later on June 30th. They lived in Nipawin for the summer and returned to Saskatoon where Shirley worked as a short order cook and then as a bookkeeper while Dale finished his post secondary education as a Recreation Director. In 1975 they moved to a farm just outside of Kyle, Sask. When Dale became a member of Matador Farming Pool Ltd. Shirley worked in the Credit Union until their daughter Erin was born on June 30, 1976 and she decided to be a stay at home mother while her children were growing up. Their son Munro was born on June 29, 1979. She was always with them before they started school and she was always there for them when they came home from school. Shirley loved her family. Kyle United Church was a big part of Shirley’s life as part of the Choir and as a member of the board for several years. Shirley also served on the local school board and various other committees to be involved in Erin and Munro’s upbringing. She seldom missed any of their games or activities. In 1994 they moved off the farm into Kyle and then to the Comox Valley in 1998 where Shirley got involved as a bookkeeper with the Edgett family business.
Shirley had a great sense of humour and everyone knew Shirley by her smile, positive attitude and always caring about others more than herself. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1981 and she was a breast cancer survivor but she never complained through it all. It was always “I’m good, how are you?” and, of course, always with the Shirley smile.
Special thanks to our family physician Dr. Desmond Konway, Dr. Trace Thomas (ICU), Dr. William Tinmouth (Urology) and the 3rd floor nurses including the ICU at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Comox.
A Celebration of her Life will be held at St. George’s United Church in Courtenay on Thursday, July 23, 2015 at 2:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations to Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada in her memory would be appreciated.