Shirley Mae Barnett

Our family is very sad to announce the passing of beloved wife, mother and grandmother, Shirley Mae Barnett, who died peacefully in the North Shore Hospice on March 19th, 2021. Husband Herb was there to hold her hand while she drew her final breath.

Shirley is survived by Herb, her husband and best friend of sixty-five years, her four children, Ken (Peggy), Diane (Wade), Heather (Rob), and Bruce (Sandra), her eleven grandchildren, Brent, Kathryn (Ryan), Kevin (Amanda), Jennifer, Trevor, Jeffrey, Laura, Julia, Jessica, Mitchell, and Jonathan. She was predeceased by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.C. McIntyre and brothers Rae and Keith.

Shirl was born, grew up and lived in Winnipeg, Manitoba for twenty-seven years. She experienced the 1930’s Depression, the War years, and the flooding of her childhood home by the 1950’s floods. She had a large social circle as a teen and enjoyed being a successful high school athlete. After high school, she was particularly proud of being a member on a Provincial Championship Junior Basketball Team.

Shirl married her high school sweetheart Herb at the age of twenty-one. The early years of marriage included starting a family, maintaining the home front and emotionally supporting her husband who made the challenging decision to enroll in a university engineering program. Once post-secondary school was completed, the family of now five members, moved and started a new beginning in the province of Quebec. The family expanded with the arrival of a fourth child and enjoyed fifteen happy years of living in Chateauguay, a suburb of Montreal. Holiday time included extensive travelling and camping all over Eastern Canada and the Eastern United States. Algonquin Park and the Maritimes were particularly favourite destinations. Camping trips across Canada lead to many fond family memories. Shirl also enjoyed travelling with Herb on international business trips whenever the opportunity was available. In her leisure time, she learned to play bridge, curl, and golf. As well, she enjoyed skiing in the mountain resorts of the Eastern Townships.

In 1975 the family moved to North Vancouver, British Columbia. Shirl continued to promote and support her family’s development for the next forty-six years. She always greatly valued her time with bridge club friends, but her family was her pride, her joy and her legacy. She was a proud Canadian, an unbelievable friend, wife, mother and grandmother who always encouraged her family members to strive to be their best. She was extremely proud to be a regular attendee at her children’s and grandchildren’s various Graduation and sporting events. As a mother, she always sacrificed willingly and had enduring pride in their life accomplishments.

There will be no formal funeral services for Shirl as the family plans to celebrate her life in a private event later this year. Special thanks to the doctors, nurses, and all other staff at Lions Gate Hospital and the North Shore Hospice for their compassionate care. In lieu of flowers, donations in Shirl’s name to the LGH Foundation or a charity of your choice would be appreciated.