BROWN, Shirley Ilene (nee Owen) - Shirley Ilene Brown (nee Owen) formerly of Chatham, Ontario, passed away suddenly on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at Southlake Residential Care Village in Newmarket, Ontario.
Born in Mull, Ontario in 1937, daughter of the late William Owen (1962) and Mildred Owen (1989), of Chatham-Kent.
Predeceased by her husband Roy H. Brown of Chatham (1982) and brother, Brian Owen (2014). Survived by her sister, Kathleen Lindsay of Burnaby, BC.
Loving mother to Laurie (Jeff) Irwin of Aurora, Mark Brown and Kevin Brown both of Newmarket. Best Gram of Megan and Katherine Irwin of Aurora and Sara and Victoria Brown.
Lovingly remembered by her extended family of Julie Campbell (Craig), Elizabeth Lindsay, Barbara Easter (Dave), Robert Owen (Natasha), Lindsay Campbell, Ethan Campbell (Bonnie), Ben Easter, Maddy Easter and Aden Campbell and Carol Smith.
Shirley was a dedicated elementary school teacher in Chatham-Kent for many years and enjoyed keeping up with ‘her kids’ as much as possible.
After retirement from the Kent County Separate School Board in 1994, she made the big move to Aurora, Ontario where most of her family had now settled. In Aurora, she met many good friends at the Aurora Seniors Centre, and took painting classes as well as belonged to her most favourite Book Club.
She was an avid reader (her favourite author of late being Louise Penny) and when she was more mobile, loved to go out for dinners and lunch at Swiss Chalet and Jonathan’s. Many thanks to the ‘ladies of the book club’ who kept in touch with her during this most difficult period of isolation as a result of COVID and various hospitalizations.
Shirley used to say she ‘lived for her granddaughters’. She was so proud of them and loved to hear about their various adventures. She was fortunate to live very close by and at least before Covid enjoyed frequent visits, shopping trips and meals together with them.
Dedicated mom, grandmother, friend. Shirley loved to draw, paint with watercolour, craft with her girls, read historical novels, do the weekly Toronto Star crossword puzzle and shop(!). Although she suffered oftentimes greatly from the pain and disability of arthritis over the past several years, she kept her sense of humour and grace through to her last day.
The family wishes to thank and appreciate the staff Southlake Residential Care Village - specifically Noel, Jocelyn, Wilma, Samantha, Franco and Moshe - to name only a few. Also we would be remiss not to thank Candy, for the years of special nursing care and support she gave to mom both at her own apartment and at Kingsway Place. The staff and volunteers at Kingsway Place were amazing, and she truly considered Kinsgway her home and was determined to make her way back there somehow.
As was her request, Shirley has been cremated and arrangements will be made for an Internment at Evergreen Cemetery in Blenheim, Ontario at a later date where her family will gather safely to celebrate her life. Arrangements are entrusted with Thompson funeral home, Aurora.
If you wish to make a memorial donation, please consider one of these favourite charities of hers: the Sheldrake Wildlife Trust - an elephant rescue and sanctuary (www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org) or GlobalMedic (www.globalmedic.ca). .
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