COWAN, Sheila Meikle (Scott) - Died October 3, 2020 of natural causes in her 103rd year.
Predeceased by parents (George Scott and Elsie Clark), sister Janice (Pennington), and loving husband of 66 years William Anderson (Bill) Cowan.
Survived by family that meant so much to her, Sheila Ann (Paul), Scott (Lyn), Jeff (Jane), John (Catherine), grandchildren Paul (Alysia), Jamie, David (Laurence), Doug, David, Heather (Michael), Meghan (Dan), Kate (Michael), Beth, Liliane (Philippe), nine great-grandchildren, soon to be ten, and many nieces and nephews.
Born in Brantford, Ontario on September 5, 1918, Sheila attended Brantford Collegiate Institute where she met Bill, and then University College at the University of Toronto, where she studied for her Honours degree in English Language and Literature.
They married in 1942, after her brief career in retail fashion, which included time at the New York World’s Fair as a model, and just prior to Bill’s departure to England, where he served as an officer in the Royal Canadian Artillery.
She raised Sheila Ann as a single mother when Bill was in England, then missing in action in Holland and later as a P.O.W., until the end of World War II. Upon Bill’s recovery and return, and completion of his legal studies, they moved to Windsor, Ontario.
There, in addition to raising the family, she became an active member of many community organizations, including the I.O.D.E, Y.M.C.A. (Board of Directors), The May Court Club (President) , and the Art Gallery of Windsor Volunteer Committee (President and co- editor of its popular “The Uncommon Cookbook, that is passed down through the generations).
Upon Bill’s retirement they moved to Toronto to be closer to their Toronto children.
Her family thanks the staff and her friends associated with Russell Hill Residence in Toronto, where she was a “ founding resident”, for the friendship, care and comfort that they provided during her eleven years with them, Dr. Kirk Lyon for her geriatric care prior to his retirement, and the medical team and palliative care providers at the Toronto Western and then Baycrest Hospitals for the compassionate and quality services they provided during Sheila’s final days, reflective of her wishes and values.
A private cremation has taken place.
Donations may be made to the Sunnybrook Foundation, University College’s The William and Sheila Cowan Scholarships in Humanities, or a charity of choice.
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