Shirley Avant

Shirley Avant 1922 2010 We are saddened to announce the passing of our beloved Mom, Grandma and Great Grandma, Shirley Avant (nee Wood) at Luther Special Care Home on May 29, 2010. Her struggle is over and she is at peace but she will be terribly missed. Shirley was predeceased by her parents, Frank and Ruth Wood; husband, John in 1992; brothers, Willard, Max, Guy, Glen, Ray, Bud and Dick and sister, Dorothy. Left to cherish her memory are son, Barry Kilgannon Avant and wife, Joan; son, Ron and wife, Lesley; daughter, Susan Avant and husband, Doug Frey; grandchildren, Liam and Orla Kilgannon Avant (mother Moira Kilgannon Avant), Morgan and her husband Travis Klassen, Graham Avant, Jacob Frey and his wife Teng Yue Zhang, Anna Frey and partner Rory Lycyshyn, Wright and Matthew Frey; great grandchildren, Riley and Owen Klassen; brothers, Lee, Ralph, Bob, and Currie; sisters, Jean, Hazel, Peggy and Mary Lou; as well as many loving nieces and nephews. Shirley was born on January 29, 1922 in Yellow Grass, SK, the 6th of 17 children. Strong family ties were part of her life from the very beginning and family would remain her priority and the joy of her life. She lived in Regina before working in a factory in Toronto to aid the war effort. Upon moving back west she worked in the catalogue department of Simpson Sears. It was then that John Avant entered her life and they were married in 1946, beginning a 46-year journey together. Mom was a wizard at the sewing machine and in the kitchen and she was happiest when she was surrounded by her family. She and John were delighted when they became grandparents and she always had the welcome mat out for her enormous extended family. The annual Woodpile reunion every August was an eagerly anticipated event for which she baked buckets of cookies and was always the first one to have coffee on in the morning outside her camper. The last two years of Mom's life did not unfold as she would have liked but she rarely complained. The way she led her life has left us with a remarkable example of how to do it well with love, patience, compassion and tolerance. Thank you Mom. Donations in Shirley's memory may be made to the ALS Society of Saskatchewan, Box 31028, Normanview Mall, Regina, SK S4R 8R6 or Luther Care Communities, 1212 Osler Street, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0T9. The Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, June 5, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. at Park Funeral Chapel, 311 Third Avenue North, Saskatoon. A private family interment will take place prior to the service at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens.To send online condolences to the family, visit www.parkfuneral.ca . Arrangements entrusted to Lynn Constantin.