MCCOLMAN, Shirley Winnifred

January 8, 1928 — March 14, 2024

It is with sadness that I announce the passing of my mom, Shirley Winnifred McColman, on the 14th day of March 2024 at the Glenmore Lodge in Kelowna, British Columbia. Born in North Bay, Ontario, Mom spent over 30 years in Thessalon, Ontario. She was a grand old lady of 96 years when she passed.

Mom was born January 8, 1928, and lived through the Great Depression and WW2. After the passing of my father in 1966, she moved to Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. She spent some time there working in restaurants. When Shirley retired, she moved out West to Kelowna, British Columbia to be closer to me and my family after we moved out to the Yukon Territory. Mom did not want to live in the Yukon. She told us that it was too wild, too rough, and too cold. She told us that the Yukon was only liveable for two weeks in July. However, there was much visiting back and forth.

Mom loved to travel. She and I took a trip out to the East Coast to the Magdalene Islands. Her grandmother and grandfather moved from there to Thessalon and my mom heard many stories about the Magdalene and always wanted to visit the family there. When her and I visited, we were treated like royalty.

Mom accompanied me and my sons on many adventures throughout BC. Including out on the ocean on our beloved boat, Sapho, with my husband, Gregory and me. Mom loved being on water in boats. She accompanied my dad, Sherlock, on the tug, SSMac, in the Great Lakes when they were both young and “bushy tailed”. My Mom lived a long and interesting life and did not miss much.

Shirley was a mom to me, Sharon Belisle, and Elaine Woolsey (deceased). She was the daughter of Ada and Arthur McArthur (both deceased). She was sister to Stella Bell (deceased). She was the wife of Sherlock McColman (deceased). She was Grandmother to Cheryl Woolsey and David Woolsey (deceased), and Travis Belisle and Jay Belisle. Mom had great-granddaughters, Charlotte Belisle and Cynthia Belisle. She was Mother-in-law to Gregory Belisle and George Woolsey (deceased).

Shirley was the last remaining of her family in her generation. Her sisters-in-law, Jean McColman, Bertha Lewis, Margaret McColman, Eva Turner, Ardell McColman, Nona Accivatti, and Marie McColman, and her brothers-in-law, William Bell, David McColman, Kenneth McColman, James McColman and Woodrow McColman, are all deceased.

Gregory and I would like to thank the staff at the Glenmore Lodge for the wonderful care that they provided Mom in the last year of her life. Mom liked it there, joining in many activities; singalongs and bingo were her favourites. She also joined the Church Services on Sunday. The staff there were very fond of Mom and shared that she was one of their favourites. We would also like to thank Dr. McLease who was the house physician at the Glenmore Lodge. Thank you also Dr. John Dawson (Dr. John, we called him); he was her family physician for 20 years, and he treated us very well. We would also like to thank the staff at the Kelowna General Hospital, where Mom received excellent care during her times of illness in the last few years; they pulled her through many times, giving her and I more precious time together. Lastly, I would like to thank the staff at the Okanagan Château, an Independent Living facility where my Mom lived for 7 years. They were extremely caring and helpful, and my mom enjoyed it there very much.

When it was finally time for her to go home, her passing was very gentle, and she went home after one last gentle breath. She was not in pain and spent her morning laughing and talking at lunch. She was having a nap before I arrived that day. She knew Travis, her grandson, and his wife, Chrystal, (and Oso, her granddog) were due to arrive as well. Mom was happy that we were coming, and she was just getting rested up with a nap after lunch.

Goodbye Mom, it’s been quite a trip.

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