Shirley Marie McDonald

" If you come with me we can live in a castle on the St Lawrence River!"... I wasn't there but that could have been what my father said to convince the beautiful young woman to join him on the journey their lives would prove to be. They were working together at Sunshine Village in the Canadian Rockies, it was summer and the guests were not expected soon. To show my mother how her life could be he loaded up the horses (with wine and delicacies the guests wouldn't miss if they didn't know about it) and they ditched work and went on a picnic. While the place on the river was magnificent... he should have mentioned they would be living with his parents... after he built an addition on their place... in the winter without any experience as a builder.
Shirley was incredibly up for the challenge. And the next one, and the next one. As the backbone of the family, she made the fairytale story of raising a family in that beautiful setting a reality. While Shirley wound up doing the lion's share of the work (compared to Joe) the gourmet picnic was not a one off; they became a weekly event with a great extended family. A resounding strength and confidence came from that home on the point in Morristown where Shirley taught us to think for ourselves and not be afraid to question anything or anyone. And to not only question things but when those questions got answered she taught us to listen! From the time of her start in Red Deer Alberta in 1944 the great outdoors was always her happy place. Skiing, skating, hiking were just a few of the activities she shared with us without complaining...EVER. She made it clear that complaining was not productive, actions were productive.
Shirley's reading, gardening, and appreciation of the arts was like a fire that burned brightly right up to the end; her time with Fredrick Remington Art made her very happy and enriched her life immensely. For those who would like to honor Shirley with a donation, we encourage you to support the Morristown Fire Department and Rescue Squad; an exceptional organization that has come to our aid rapidly (...and repeatedly!) Services will be held this summer.