Shirley Lillian Dickson

Born in North Sydney, Nova Scotia, she was the eldest child of Raymond and Marjorie (MacDonald) Youden. Shirley was a member of the Girls Scouts, St. John’s Anglican Church Choir and graduated from high school in 1954. She attended Truro Normal College, a teacher’s school where she graduated First Class in 1955. She obtained her Nova Scotia Teacher’s Certificate in 1957 and her Newfoundland and Labrador Teacher’s Certificate in 1968.

She was married to the late Robert Rodney Dickson of North Sydney and was a kindergarten teacher in Halifax, NS during the 1960s and in Labrador West (Wabush and Labrador City) from 1968 until 1987. She was a competitive curler, participating in many tournaments and was a member of the Legion Women’s Auxiliary in Labrador City. She loved traveling, visiting relatives in Nova Scotia and New England. She loved camping and did so as a teenager and as an adult. She loved yard sales and shopping. She was a dedicated supporter of her sons sport endeavourers and attended most games. She loved holidays and decorated according to the holiday.

After her husband’s passing in 1987, she moved to Halifax, NS, and took a position as a pre-school teacher at Veith House in Halifax, where she worked for over 10 years. She loved teaching children. She continued traveling, going out shopping with friends and attending her grandsons' sports events. She was an avid watcher of the Boston Red Sox and would watch it simultaneously with her sister, Brenda, who lived in Nashua, NH. Later in life, she watched the Toronto Blues Jays as well. She was the center of the family, the one solid rock who was there for anyone if they were in need. She adored her two cats Pharaoh and Patch.

She was predeceased by her parents, Raymond and Marjorie (MacDonald) Youden, her four siblings, Thomas Youden, Raymond (Jerry) Youden, Macdonald (Donnie) Youden and Brenda (Youden) Kennedy, her husband Robert Rodney Dickson and her granddaughter Lisa (Horwood) Bursey. She is survived by her three sons, Robert, Wayne and Randy, and her two grandsons, Robert and Thomas.

A graveside service and celebration of life shall be made at a later date in May, 2026. My mom was a dedicated donator to charity, so please in lieu of flowers; you may give a donation to St John’s Anglican Church, where my mom sang in the choir or any charity of your choice.