Shirley Marie Mantle

It is with great sadness that the family of Shirley Marie Mantle (née Dickson) of Okotoks, Alberta announces her passing on September 7, 2019 in Calgary at the age of 91 years. She lived a full and happy life.

Shirley was born in Toronto on April 10, 1928 to Alexander Dunlop Dickson from Edinburgh, Scotland, and Ivy Green from Wordsley, England. She was predeceased by her husband Jim, big sister Louise Fluker, and brother-in-law Bob Fluker.

She had many fond memories of cottage vacations during her childhood summers on the Toronto Islands, and in her teens and early twenties on Lakes Joseph, Rosseau and Muskoka.

It was at a summer dance in Bala, Ontario that she met her future husband, a handsome charmer from England, who accidently tripped them both into the courtyard fountain while showing off his dance moves. Shirley married Thomas James “Jim” Mantle during Hurricane Hazel in Toronto on October 16, 1954, requiring them to find a substitute church, minister, photographer, venue, and caterer. But in true Shirley unflappable style, the evening was a great success and a precursor to their eventful life together.

They lived in Cleveland, Lethbridge, Montreal and Sudbury, having three children along the way, Jim (Nancy) Mantle, Susan (Lawrie) Masterman and Leslie (Randall) Ruffo. She created wonderful memories with them, at the camp on Lake Penage, growing up in Sudbury, and in her last home in Okotoks.

Shirley approached life fearlessly from start to finish. Having quit university in her twenties because she found it dull and wanted to work instead, she re-enrolled while parenting three small children and obtained her B.A. at age 40, driving to and from campus in her red MGB convertible.

Shirley was a bridge Grand Life Master. Earlier on the day she was hospitalized, Shirley bid and made two slams at her bridge club. Her very dear friends brought her great joy over the years, at her bridge club of nearly 60 years in Sudbury, and at her bridge club for the past six years in Okotoks.

Shirley had many varied interests in addition to playing bridge. She was an avid reader, loving fiction and history, and keeping fully up to date on current events. She wintered in Mesa, Arizona for 16 years, which allowed her to golf and swim year round.

She enjoyed many vacations with Louise and Bob Fluker, and really enjoyed keeping in touch with her much loved nieces and nephews in Winnipeg.

She will be greatly missed and always remembered by her three children and their spouses; her grandchildren Matthew (Sara), Krysten (Jon), Alaina (Mike), Susan (Shane), Christopher, Emma (Nik), Jane (Brady), Sarah, Ian and Bryce; and great-grandchildren Morleigh, Cassandra, Silas and Zachary.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Okotoks and District Seniors Club, (4-204 Community Way, Okotoks, AB), on Sunday, October 27, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations being made in Shirley’s memory directly to the Okotoks and District Seniors Club, (PO Box 1262, Okotoks, AB T1S 1B3).