Elaine Rosina Shirley

Elaine was fortunate to be born in Trail B.C. as the youngest of four to hard working Italian Immigrants. She moved to attend Victoria Normal School in 1953 and started her teaching career at Oak Bay Senior, and it was there she met a Navy man, Bill, with whom she would be married in 1955 for the next 67 years.

Bill and Elaine welcomed their daughter Leanne (1959) and son Gordon (1962). In the 1970’s, they moved to Central Saanich and bought a hobby farm where they raised animals, including her pride and joy, two Siamese cats, Fang and Twinky.

Elaine taught in Greater Victoria for 37 years. She loved all children, especially her two grandchildren Paige and Jenna. She had an art and craft room with a keyboard and sewing, and suitcases full of Barbies. She was the best Nonna in the world.

She was a resident of Sidney All Care and eventually Sidney Care Home- we are forever grateful for the excellent care she received. She was joined three years ago with her husband Bill, so they could live out their days together. She will be missed dearly by her immediate family: Leanne, husband Robin, Gordon, wife Jude, and granddaughters, Paige, partner Ryan, and Jenna, partner Sam. Friends and family will treasure the memories they had together.

In Elaine’s notebooks we came across a page called Write Your Last Chapter: Here are her own words:

I Did it My Way… (singing)

Farewell, Elaine, daughter of Rosario & Concetta, sister of Vera, Len & Irene: wife of Bill mother of Leanne & Gordon: Nonna of Paige & Jenna. Teacher of thousands of children at Monterey, Rockheights, Quadra, Hampton, Doncaster & Gordon Head Jr. Colleague of hundreds of educators and friend to many fellow curlers.

Time to rest, thou good & faithful servant. You have done your best and looking back you see the results and are well-pleased.

Maybe you’ll never write that novel like you planned but you wrote many interesting letters, reports, and speeches. Maybe you didn’t paint that landscape, but you painted a few walls. Maybe you didn’t act on Broadway, but you acted properly when you needed to. Maybe you didn’t get your masters or your PhD, but you got your MRS. and that’s important too because it took just as much effort! Ha ha

There will be a family celebration of life.