SHEILA CONSTANCE McCALL

1936 - 2024

SHEILA CONSTANCE McCALL
(nee Morris)
August 14, 1936 – January 17, 2024

Sheila died peacefully, surrounded by family on January 17, 2024, at the age of 87. She leaves behind her four children, Cynthia, Andrew (Elizabeth Richardson), Sandy (Edward Gibbard) and Martha (Tom Heintzman), of whom she was so proud, as well as her 12 grandchildren, Stephanie (Jeffrey McFarland), Roslyn, David and Christopher McCall; James, Samantha, Matthew, Michael, Thomas and Charlie Gibbard-McCall; and Luke and Sloan Heintzman, who were dear to her heart. She loved their company and following their activities, growth and love interests.

Sheila was predeceased by her loving husband, David, as well as her brother, Hugh Morris, Hugh's wives, Carol and Ada, and her in-laws, Shirley and Richard Stikeman and David Ross. She is survived by her sister, Cathie Ross, cousins Ann Hogarth, Tom and Jane Blackmore and Ann McCall and many nieces, nephews and other relatives.

Sheila was born in Windsor, Ontario, on August 14, 1936, the daughter of Shirley McCullagh and Dr. William Gordon Morris. She attended Walkerville Collegiate, and that set the stage for a lifetime of athletic achievements and leadership roles which included Miss Windsor! Sheila received more W's than any other student for her involvement on the basketball, volleyball, tennis and swimming/diving teams, and even ping pong. Upon graduation in 1954, she received the Paul Martin's Medal in recognition of her athleticism and contributions to the school.

Sheila completed her B.A. in political science and economics at McGill in 1957. She continued with many of her sports from high school, adding golf to the list of teams. She convinced the Dean to have cheerleaders and designed their costume, and they have continued to be part of the university to this day. Sheila was president of the McGill Women Student's Athletic Association and vice-president of her sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta. She was elected to the Red Wing Society and received the Muriel V. Roscoe Award, presented to the female student-athlete in her final year for proficiency and leadership.

After graduating from the Harvard-Radcliffe College Business Administration program in 1958, Sheila worked in Toronto at Simpsons in their Personnel and Research Department. She then moved to Montreal, where her mother, a widow of many years, had married Eliot Frosst.

Sheila first crossed paths with David at the Lac Manitou Regatta, when she was in her early teens and visiting relatives in Ste. Agathe. To her surprise, she won the Brûlé Regatta Cup that same summer. They met again at a wedding after graduation and were married on June 4, 1960. Sheila and David loved travelling together, with family and with friends. They threw marvellous parties dancing into the wee hours, enjoyed their cross-country skiing, bridge and Centaur Theatre, and they opened their home and the Little House to many guests. Manitou was an important part of their family life. Sheila's famous lamb dinner, maple squares and jams and jellies, family tennis, cocktails on the dock at Horseshoe, cribbage games, her flower garden, raspberry patch and vegetable garden, her love of CBC radio and genuine interest in her children and their friends are lasting memories that will be cherished by all.

Sheila took on many roles in the community. She was president of the Junior League of Montreal, campaign chairman for the Westmount Branch of Centraide, chairman of the board of The Study School and chairman of the Auxiliary of the Montreal Chest Hospital. She sat on the board of the MUHC, Dominion Douglas United Church and Holy Trinity Church, to name a few, but still had time to be Brown Owl and a Guide leader for her daughters. If you knew Sheila was leading, you joined!

Sheila continued her involvement in sports throughout her life, playing tennis at the Hillside and Montreal Indoor Tennis Clubs (where she was a member for over 50 years) and golf at the Laurentian Golf and Country Club, winning titles at all three. Her love of sports has been passed on to her children and grandchildren. Watching them play and compete gave her great joy.

She valued and maintained her friendships with those she met along the way. Great times were had with her girlfriends at Diggers and Weeders, Camp McCall and the One O'Clock Club and with her doubles partners. Many of these friends - and others - have 'from Sheila McCall' in their recipe boxes.

The family matriarch, she was an example of strength, beauty, and, well, just how to be. She herself said, 'I've had a very full life!' We are so grateful to have been a part of it.

A heartfelt thank you to Dr. Ferri and the staff at the MUHC and the Ste. Agathe medical community, including the hospital, the CLSC, Dr. Lebel, the oncology team and many others, who took such great care of Sheila. If desired, donations in her memory can be made to Fondation Médicale des Laurentides et des Pays-d'en-Haut – https://fondationmedicale.com/en/contact-us/ (under additional information/comments please include "donation to Ste. Agathe hospital""). A celebration of Sheila's life will be held at Lac Manitou this summer.