November 26, 1940 - September 8, 2024
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our mother, sister, grandmother and friend, Shirley Edwards, at Cascade Hospice on September 8. She fought a heroic battle with cancer, often hiding her pain and symptoms until the very end when her weakness became too much. We would like to thank all the staff at Cascade Hospice for their compassionate, loving care of our mom.
Shirley was born in McCreary Manitoba, on the family farm of a ¼ section of land that her father farmed until the outbreak of WWII. When her father joined the Canadian Armed Forces and was stationed at Camp Chilliwack in 1942, the whole family moved to Vedder Crossing, where she lived until a teenager, when the family then "moved into town." She had fond memories of growing up around the army base and the life long friends she formed. She met Jim Edwards in the spring of 1961 and they were married in the autumn of 1961 on her parents 25th wedding anniversary.
Shirley loved to cook and entertain and travel, particularly to their winter home in Palm Desert. She enjoyed their pool and her grandchildren's visits, dining and dancing and playing bridge (even on the computer ... which was not her best friend), She loved making new friends and would often joke that she did not have a shy bone in her body and wouldn't hesitate to speak to someone she didn't know just to find out what they were doing. She had a curious mind and loved trivia. She was NOT mechanically inclined and depended fiercely on her husband to fix things ... good thing she married a mechanic! She golfed, and although her husband was the avid golfer in the family, she still ended up with two hole-in-ones, doubling his 60+ year golf career of a single hole-in-one. Later, as a widow, she enjoyed her coffee friends and the great socials held at Emerald and Amber Court and Vern, her dear companion and friend, held a special place in her heart.
She is survived by her daughter Jocelyn (Miles) Holden and their children, Katherine (Arin) and David, her son Paul and his son James. Shirley is also survived by her sister Patricia (Fred) Vanstone, and her sister-in-law, Joan Smith. She was predeceased by her husband, Jim, her brother, Don, and her parents, Adelard (Al) and Verna (nee Harrison) Smith.
She will be greatly missed by us all.
"Your mother is always with you. She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street. She's the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick, the fragrance of life itself. She's the cool hand on your brow when you are not feeling well. She's your breath in the air on a cold winter's day. She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of the rainbow, she is Christmas morning. Your mother lives inside your laughter. She's the place you come from, your first home, and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you, not time, not space ... not even death." - unknown
There will be no service as per her request. Those who wish to remember Shirley with a donation, may do so to the Canadian Cancer Society.