Shirley Eleanor Brown

Shirley Eleanor Brown passed away at Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary AB, on June 21, 2024 with loving family by her side.

Shirley always valiantly set out to prove her ability to organize, problem solve and efficiently overcome any hurdle she encountered in life. Managing her journey with bone cancer was another glitch in her life story, as she embraced the challenge of navigating the complexities of the health care system.

Shirl’s fervent desire was to remain at home, as she was proud of her independence, autonomy, and authority to determine her destiny. Guided by her philosophy of being a “Prairie Practical Woman,” she recruited and sustained a diverse team of health care professionals, including the services of a private home support company. Some of the care workers became her friends, experiencing every transition of her illness.

She expressed her deep gratitude for the expertise of Dr. Omar Khan, Oncologist at Tom Baker Cancer Centre, who partnered with her in securing every possible treatment, plus his demonstration of compassion by holding her hand or touching her during every encounter. He truly demonstrated the best of medical science and humanities.

The number of appointments Shirley had each week was staggering. Michelle Patram, a loyal neighbour, committed to accompanying her to many interventions and gave a home to Emma, Shirl’s beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Shirley maintained her decades long relationship with her trusted therapist, Dr. Terry Perezz-Pearce, who helped Shirley navigate every heart-centered aspect of life.

In 2009, Shirley was predeceased by her husband, Eric Reid. Their friends “The Ladies Lunch Group” continued to be her constant support. In the last 21 months of life, she was surrounded by a caring circle of friends, each knowing how their friendship enriched her life by completing errands, gardening, knitting circles, leather working, evening phone calls, daily texts, or simply visiting. Her sage advice and sense of humour will be missed.

Shirley was the fifth born child to Roy and Flora Brown on September 5, 1955 in Virden, MB. She often talked about the core values and wisdom of her prairie roots. Shirley is survived by her siblings Bonnie (Carcary, Santa Monica, CA), Joanne (Kaisler, Chemainus, BC), Brenda (Brown, Calgary, AB). and Rob (Brown, Virden, MB), two nieces and seven nephews.

Shirley attended Red River College, completing a diploma in Hotel and Restaurant Management. In Banff, AB she branched into accounting for such businesses. She later attended Olds College and achieved a diploma in Horticulture, her true passion in life. Shirley loved having her hands in the dirt, nurturing trees and plants to reach their full potential. She learned her love of gardening and yard care from her mother and embraced every opportunity to teach and mentor others.

Shirl was employed by the City of Calgary in the Parks and Recreation Department, respected by coworkers as she brought a clear directive approach to her leadership positions.

A memorial was held in Shirley’s sacred space, under the crabapple tree in her backyard on June 28, 2024, where family and a diverse group of friends gathered to honour and celebrate her life.