Shirley Clara Leslie

We are saddened to announce our mother Shirley’s unexpected death Thursday, 2 May 2019, at Halifax, NS.

Shirley was born 27 January 1936, Sydney, Cape Breton, the youngest daughter of George William Mercer, of Upper Island Cove, NL, and Annie Isabel Oake, of Change Islands, NL. She grew up in Whitney Pier surrounded by her loving family, including many aunts, uncles and cousins, and even, for a little while, near her future husband Clayton. She graduated from Sydney Academy in 1953 and later worked at the Academy until she married Creighton Roy Brown 4 July 1959, at Sydney, NS, son of Russell Creighton Brown and Dorothy Roye Brown.

After marrying Creighton in 1959 and the birth of their first child, Janice in 1960, she continued to work in Sydney to support him while he obtained his degree from University of King’s College in Halifax. Over the next few years they had two more children, Graeme and Paul, and she became a full-time home maker as she accompanied Creighton in their life in the Anglican ministry.

In 1970 he then transitioned out to a life in community work and staff training with the federal government and, as the family moved to Truro and her children settled into school, she returned to work, remaining employed with Wilson’s Equipment until she met the second, and greatest, love of her life. On 12 March 1992, in Truro, NS she married Clayton Alvin Leslie and moved to Kentville NS, to spend many happy years surrounded by her greatly enriched and well-loved family.

Friends and family were important to Mom, and all her life, she stayed in close contact with friends and family from her early days in Sydney, through the years moving from parish to parish in Nova Scotia until settling in Truro from 1971 until 1992, her later happy years in the Kentville area, and finally her last years living in Aberdeen Hall and Evan Hall of Shannex Parkland Clayton Park in Halifax. We want to particularly send our appreciation and love to her life-long friends, Marylyn and Gerry Moules of Sydney, and Judy and Jimmie Richards of Truro, NS, who stayed in touch right up until her death.

While she could, Mom lived a very full life. She loved to sew, knit, do the puzzles in the daily paper, shop, travel, swim, dance, walk, fish, go to just about any type of exercise class (as long as it was with friends!), and could be persuaded to play a game or two of cards on occasion. One of the greatest joys of her life was to spend time with her grandchildren, and no holiday or birthday ever went by without a card from Nanny Shirley.

Mom had the ability to make any room not only tidier just by walking into it, but to make everyone there feel welcome and comfortable. She lived and loved well, and was well-loved in return.

Mom is survived by daughter Janice (David Fralic) and grandsons Jesse (Carolyn Curry) and Neil; son Paul (Paula MacInnis) and grandchildren Michael (Angela) with great- granddaughters Kara, Cailie; and Caitlin (Jason Regan) with great-grandson Avon; stepson Barry Leslie (Celeste Pray) and grandson Braham with great-grandsons Leo and Clay, and granddaughter Alicia (Alain Belliveau) with great-grandchild Charlotte Denise; stepson Danny Leslie (Kathy Clark) and grandchildren Christopher (Dezirah), Nick (Danielle) and Ashleen (Chris Faller) with great-grandchildren Jocelyn & Lara; stepson Peter Leslie (Rick Conrad). She was pre-deceased by husband Clayton Leslie in 2011, son Graeme Creighton Brown in 1991, father George in 1977, mother Annie in 1987, sister Leonora Mae (Mercer) (Anthony) Bowser in 1994, and first husband Creighton Brown in 2002.

Instead of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada, or the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

There will be no visitation. A memorial service will be held 2:00 p.m., Friday, May 10 at J.A. Snow’s Funeral Home, 339 Lacewood Dr., Halifax, NS., with a reception to follow.