Obituary of Shirley Roberts

When we heard the news the other day, Karen said of Shirley Roberts, "The sweetest person I've ever met." And she surely was - but she was much more than that. Shirley Elizabeth Dawn was born to Lawrence Albert Dawn and Elsie Lorraine Armstrong in Meaford, Ontario. The family lived on Blue Mountain, part of the Niagara Escarpment on a farm where Shirley was one of eight children, four girls and four boys. During the first two years of her life Shirley had a great many physical problems that required hospitalization, including visits to Ontario Sick Children's Hospital. Due to these health issues, she was unable to begin school until she was 7 and then had to be driven to school for a couple of years. Shortly after she married she was involved in an auto accident resulting in physical damage that was not discovered for a very long time but gave her pain her entire life. But even worse than the physical pain she endured was the emotional pain as a result of losing three children. Shirley, however, was forged from a very special metal. When others might concern themselves with the three children they lost, she thought only of the five that gave her so much joy and of the 11 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. And she smiled that sweet smile. When her physical pain made sitting a problem she stood, or when standing became too much she sat for awhile. And she smiled that sweet, radiant smile that lit up the whole country. She was a great example for her children, her grandchildren, her great grandchildren, and for all those with whom she came in contact. I met Shirley not long before her and Sam were married on October 11, 1958, their wedding being the first such ceremony I attended. For the first few years after that wedding they lived at my parent's place and Shirley worked at a couple of sites down the road in Collingwood. That's one of the things that you could depend on Shirley doing at almost any time; working. As a very young girl she and her sister were working to make their family farm, the Dawn farm, work and to support their family. After she married, she worked even harder for her own family, its growth, improvement, and success. In 1970, Shirley and Sam and their children followed his sister Phyllis to the Peace River Country. Even those who have no experience with such a move, or with the very conservative society of Ontario, will understand it was not, and still is not a simple thing to make such a move even for a single man. For a family with four boys, the oldest of which was of an age where he demanded to help, the move required supreme effort along with physical and mental toughness. Much of the success achieved by that young family can be traced directly to Shirley Dawn Roberts. Not only due to her efforts, which indeed where substantial, but because of her attitude, her support, and her smile. Most of what she did and who she was through-out life was not for her. With her continued efforts everyday she set an example, for all those who came in contact with her. Not just in the actual long day's of work, although that too established a high standard, but it was often her intent that the results of her efforts be enjoyed by those around her. Her labors were for her family and their pleasure was her reward. Yes, she had disappointments and I doubt anyone could have handled them better. Yes, she had great successes and always moved forward to the next one. Through it all, up or down, good or bad, she usually had a smile, Even in those horrendous instances when a smile wasn't possible, wait a while and one ll be along soon. Most of us want to be remembered after we're gone and that should be quite easy in the case of Shirley Elizabeth Dawn Roberts. Certainly there are her children and their children and their children and the many others who have learned from her example but others, too will remember. When you see someone who is caring, supportive, helpful, industrious, quickly and quietly shoulders the burdens of others - they may have learned those traits from Shirley. Even if they did not learn those traits and perhaps were simply born exceptional people, then witnessing such actions should definitely bring a vision of Shirley Roberts to mind. Service 2:00 pm Tuesday, August 26, 2014 Evangelical Free Church of Goodlow General Delivery GOODLOW, British Columbia, Canada V0C1S0 Interment Goodlow Cemetery Highway 103 GOODLOW, British Columbia, Canada V0C1S0