Shirley Wright d'Estrube

1926 - 2019

d'ESTRUBÉ, Shirley Wright 1926 - 2019 Our lovely, gracious mother died very peacefully with family at her side in November. She had a long, full, interesting life starting in St. Paul, MN, where she grew up in a family that was dedicated to humanitarian services. She learned compassion at a young age. She started her university education at U of Wisconsin and Stanford. During this time she met Pierre, (her future husband of 67 years), while he was on R&R in the Royal Canadian Air Force. They corresponded for a few years and married in 1949, whereupon she immigrated to Canada to start their new life together. She put her education on hold as Pierre continued his medical training to become a Psychiatrist. While raising their 5 children she pursued her passion for writing. Her humourous short stories and travel adventures were published in Chatelaine, Redbook, Readers Digest and more (she also self-published a book of her writings at 90!). Once her children were grown, she returned to university to obtain her Masters of Psychology and become a Clinical Psychologist. She opened a very respected, and personally rewarding, private counselling practice. She also volunteered as a Grief Counsellor. She was very involved in her Unitarian Church, where she volunteered and worked part-time, becoming an Elder later in life. She was an intellectual, a voracious reader and a gourmet cook. She loved travelling, art, music, gardening and her Saltspring haven. She had a wonderful sense of humour and wit right to end. She was dearly loved and will be greatly missed by those she left behind; her children Rob (Cheryl), Margaret Huxtable, Nicky (Gary) Beedle, Darcy (Amy); grandchildren Tim (Tamsin), Andy (Agnes), Chris (Aly), Jay, Natalie (Teron), Lauren, Corey; great-grandchildren Rousseau, Gilou, Ella, Maddison, Leo, and Riley. She was predeceased by Pierre, her precious daughter Janine (1962 at the age of 8), and son-in-law Michael Huxtable. We give our thanks and gratitude to the very caring staff at Berwick House, to Dr. D. Woodley, and to her amazing care companions of many years Kate Thwaites and Trish O'doherty. A Celebration of Life will be announced for early March 2020.