It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Shirley Isabel Waddell on July 11,2022, at the age of 91, in the Norwood Extended Care facility in Edmonton, Alberta.

     She was born in Calgary, Alberta on Sept. 19, 1930, to Pearl and Norman Baker, and was their only child. She received her teaching/librarian degree from the U of C and began her teaching career in a one-room schoolhouse in Blackie, Alberta.

      She married the love of her life, Neil in 1956, and had her first son Ian in 1957 and soon after moved to Hinton, Alberta, where Neil took a job in the newly opened pulp mill. She began teaching and setting up the library at Crescent Valley School. Her mother Pearl moved in with them as her father Norman had passed in 1958. She had her 2nd son Kevin in 1959.

   She loved reading and introduced the joy of reading to literally hundreds of her students over the years.  She loved camping and many outdoor activities including skiing and canoeing. She was a devout Christian and was very involved in Bethany Baptist Church (Gateway Community Church)

    She was pre-deceased by her parents, Pearl and Norman Baker, her husband Neil and daughter-in-law Diane.

She was survived by her sons Ian (Silvia), Kevin (Diane), grand children Nathan (Michelle), Nadine (Brendan), Chelsea (Graeme), Lindsey (Shayne), Taylor and great-grandchildren Pallas, Naia, Cruz, Rowan, Maeve, Waylon and was expecting her 7th great-grandchild in early 2023 (Lindsey).

     She left a legacy of life-long reading and learning as many of her former students comment how she began a passion for reading that stayed with them for life.

   She will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandma who deeply cared for her family and those around her.

In lieu of flowers, Donations in Shirely's Memory may be offered to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, 5241 Calgary Trail NW, Suite 144, Centre 104, Edmonton, AB T6H 5G8

A ceremony will be held at 2:00 pm on Friday, July 22, 2022, at  Gateway Community Church , 101 Douglas Drive in Hinton, Alberta.