November 6, 2019

It is with sadness the family of Shirley Ruth Ellis, lately of Kamloops, B.C, announces her passing on 6 November 2019 at 88 years of age.

She is survived by her children Shelagh (Geoff) and Jennifer (Rick) of Kamloops, British Columbia, Katherine (Wayde) of Ajax, Ontario, John (Karen) of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and Michael (Dawn Heather) of Ottawa, Ontario. She is also survived by her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren and her brother and sister-in-law, Tom and Kay Hilton, of St. Albert, Alberta.

Shirley was predeceased by her husband, Stan Ellis of Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1997 and by her brother, Father John Hilton of Edmonton, Alberta in 2015.

Shirley was born in Toronto, Ontario 14 May 1931. With the encouragement of her parents, she developed a strong interest in singing, theatre and fine arts as she grew up. She had an independent spirit, which lead her to plan a 6-week overseas trip with a girlfriend to England and Ireland at the age of 18. She eventually made this trip with her grandmother when her girlfriend backed out. Mom was not going to miss this trip and had been directed by her parents that she could not go on her own. The trip turned out to be a treasured memory for both mom and her grandmother. She also traveled from Toronto to the wilds of Northern Alberta to work with the Anglican Church Sunday School Mission vans in the Peace River area in her late teens. At the time, this was a great adventure for a sheltered girl from Toronto to take on.

In 1955 she married Stan Ellis, a student at Trinity College, University of Toronto. Stan went on to become an Anglican priest, and with him, Shirley left her Toronto home to move to various parishes in Western Canada where they raised their five children. She often told stories of her life growing up in a close Irish Canadian family surrounded by the extended family she loved and missed after moving from Toronto.

Shirley worked in many administrative positions throughout her life, finishing her career in the Department of Culture and Recreation with the Manitoba Provincial Government. After retirement, Shirley’s interest in the arts lead her to act as a volunteer guide at the Winnipeg Art Gallery and, to fulfill the needs of a keen intellect, she enrolled in various Art History courses at the University of Manitoba. She also volunteered with the Liberal Party of Canada on various federal elections.

She maintained an active life in the Church, last attending St. John’s Cathedral in Winnipeg where she assisted in the Cathedral library before moving to Kamloops, B.C. to be with two of her daughters in her final years.

Shirley’s family would like to thank all the staff of Pine Grove Care Centre in Kamloops for their care and attention to her in her final years. She grew to love them dearly.

Her Funeral will be held on Thursday, 14 November 2019, 2:00 pm at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Kamloops. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Canada or the Pine Grove Residents’ Society in mom’s name.

Condolences may be expressed at www.myalternatives.ca

• Date : 2019-11-12
• Location : Kamloops, B.C.