April 18, 1929 - October 15, 2019
Shirley's desire to "go home" was answered on Oct. 15, 2019 at Cottonwoods Care Center where she entered into Glory with her two daughters and a sister at her side. Many family and friends joined around her bedside her last week, singing, sharing and loving on her.
Shirley is survived by her children: Joy (& Steve) Cox of Kelowna, BC; Vance (& Wendy) Sutherland of Aruba, and Val (& James) Wedel of Calgary, AB. Grandchildren: Tyrell & Rylan Cox of Kelowna, Naomi, Elyse, Joelle Sutherland of Kelowna, BC , Grant (& Abi) Sutherland, and her first great-grandchild Theodore of Hamilton, ON, Jesiah Wedel of Saskatoon, SK and Mahaelee Wedel of Calgary, AB. Her siblings: Garth, Dottie, Lois and Ruthie and their families, as well as many extended family members.
She longed to see those who had passed before her, her Bobbie (2016), her son Bruce (2011), 3 brothers (Max, Don and Bruce) and her parents, Dr. HA and Marion McLean, who she honored and held in high esteem.
Shirley was born in Togo, SK. Her father was called to BC's West Coast to practice medicine for the people who lived and worked the land and on the sea. At 6 weeks of age her family moved across Canada to Bella Coola, for her dad's work in the local hospital. In 1937 God called her father to move his family and establish a hospital in Esperanza in Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island. She attended 8 years of schooling at Prairie Bible High School/College. The work and ministry of the hospital was a large part of Shirley's life, which led her into nursing school in 1951 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland, OR. She returned to nurse in her father's hospital in 1956. Here she met her Bobbie, who had returned for youth ministry for a second summer. They were married June 15, 1957 in Tahsis, BC. Their first son Bruce arrived the following May 1958, Joy in 1961, Vance in 1964 and Valerie in 1967. There were a few years of living in Vancouver for Bob to take his orderly training, while Shirl nursed at VGH before returning to Esperanza. In Dec of 1968 they packed the family into their station wagon and made their way to Terrace, BC where both Shirl and Bob worked at Mills Memorial Hospital. For the next 28 yrs they nursed, raised their family, fellowshipped and made life-long friends. They both retired from Mills in the mid 1990's, and by 1996 they downsized, packed up and moved to Kelowna, BC.
The number one priority in mom's life was her love of God and serving those who God placed before her. Many a captive audience sitting beside her on a Greyhound bus or plane would hear of God's love and plan of salvation for them. She and dad fellowshipped at the Alliance Church in both Terrace and Kelowna, but that didn't stop her from going to many other churches for a good hymn sing, to hear a missionary speaking or attend a conference. She always had a song on her heart and shared her love for singing with anybody she felt led to sing to. Hosting and offering her home for meals or a bed to sleep in is what gave her value, pleasure and great satisfaction that she be used for the Lord.
Though she longed for many of the family and friends who went on before her to Heaven, she was mostly longing for the Face to Face connection she would have with her Savior, Jesus Christ. Her life was not worth living if it wasn't lived for her God.
Her heart was for many different ministries, so in honor of her, please give to a ministry which is on your own heart. If she has touched you in any way, please join us in a hymn sing to celebrate a life well lived on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019 at 3 pm at Everden Rust Funeral Home, 1910 Windsor Rd, Kelowna BC. Arrangements entrusted to Everden Rust Funeral Services; condolences may be left at www.everdenrust.com