Obituary of Shirley Irene Steeves

1930 – 2021

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Mom, Grandma, Great-Grandma, Aunty Shirley on October 10, 2021. Mom passed away peacefully on a quiet Sunday evening at Columbia House in Invermere with her daughters near her side, at the age of 91 years.

Shirley was born in Miami, Manitoba on February 4, 1930, to Clayton and Katarina Eby, and was the eldest of five children. She grew up on the farm and began school in the one room schoolhouse in Tobacco Creek, Manitoba where her dad would take the children to school by horse and sleigh in the winter.

In 1941 the family bought a farm North of Carman, Manitoba, and Shirley continued her schooling at the school in Carman. Mom had many fond memories of her life on the farm with her parents, sisters, and brothers. After completing high school, Shirley apprenticed as an optician with optometrist Dr. Chochran in Carman. She often talked so fondly of her job assisting Dr. Chochran with his many patients as he travelled to various communities in the Carman area. While attending high school, mom met Charles Vernon “Corky” Steeves, and it wasn’t long until Corky was working on the Eby farm during the summers, helping with the harvest which was all done by hand. In June of 1949 Shirley and Corky were married. Dad was hired to help build the transmission lines for the new Alcan plant in Kitimat, B.C., so they moved to Kitimat and lived in a work camp made of holiday trailers, along with many other young couples.

Their daughter Katherine was born in Winnipeg, and daughter Candice was born in Vancouver. Mom and Dad’s adventures and Dad’s career took them many places: Kitimat, Winnipeg, Vancouver, McBride, Terrace, Smithers, Vanderhoof, and finally to Invermere. Mom and Dad loved company, friends, and family, and we have many happy memories of family and friends visiting and staying in our home. Mom loved music. She was a wonderful pianist, knitter, seamstress, and spotless homemaker, and our home was always filled with old time music, country music, and hymns. In Invermere mom was an active member of the Order of the Eastern Star and Lady Lions, she had many fun times with all her sisters and friends in both organizations.

Mom was an amazing Grandma and Great Grandma, and loved all her grandchildren. She and Dad would take them camping and fishing, and mom knitted them sweaters, toques, mittens, and scarves, and always had candies waiting for them in the candy dish. Mom and Dad also loved all their nieces and nephews, and always had so much fun spending time with all who visited their home. They also hosted many of Katherine and Candice’s friends and treated them like their own children.

In 2006 Shirley suffered a severe stroke which brought extreme challenges for her, but true to her nature she fought hard to overcome them all so she could be with us for many more years, and attend many more birthdays, graduations, weddings, births, and christenings, and get to know all her great-grandchildren. In her later years, Mom enjoyed many visits from her loving grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, and loved the fun outdoor picnics with her daughters, nieces, and sons-in-law.

Shirley leaves behind her loving daughters Katherine (Donald) Harrington, Candice (Peter) Thompson, grandchildren Kevin (Tennille) Thompson, Nathan (Amy) Harrington, Trevor (Colleen) Harrington, Melissa [Wes (deceased)] Duckett, and great-grandchildren James Usunier, Anthony Thompson, Teaya Usunier, Hudson Harrington, Brielle Harrington, Adelyn Harrington, Elizabeth Thompson, Kip Duckett, and Asher Harrington. Shirley also leaves behind her sister Ellen McEachern of Carman, Manitoba, brother Alvin (Barbara) Eby of Wabigoon, Ontario, brother-in-law John Murray of Carman, Manitoba, and many nieces, nephews, and grand nieces and nephews.

Shirley was pre-deceased by her parents, Clayton and Katarina (Dyck) Eby, husband Charles Vernon (Corky) Steeves, sister Madeliene Murray, son-in-law Wes Duckett, and brother Lyle Eby.

Thank you so very much to Dr. Brown, and the nurses at Columbia House for their kind and compassionate care of Mom. A gathering of close family to honour Shirley will take place at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, we request that donations be made to the Columbia House Healing Garden in Invermere, B.C.

www.mcphersonfh.com

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