It is with great sorrow that the family of Shirley Elizabeth Halverson announces her passing on Friday, Feb. 23, 2018 at La Verendrye General Hospital in Fort Frances, Ont.
She was born on Dec. 25, 1929 to William and Minnie McDonald at the family farm in Sleeman, Ont. Her Grandma Olson was the midwife.
She was married to Leo Roland Halverson on July 24, 1948 and they settled in Rainy River, Ont. while Leo worked for the CNR.
They moved to Atikokan, Ont. in 1952, where she took a job at the Hudson Bay Company. She stayed on through the change to Zellers, retiring when they closed in 1987.
Leo and Shirley also owned and operated Halverson’s Shell in Atikokan from 1972-1977.
Shirley was an active member of the Atikokan Pioneer Club. She loved to line dance with her friends. They held dances, parties, and entered floats in all the local parades. She also was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
She loved animals of all kinds . . . her little Shih Tzu dog, “Buttons,” was her close companion for many years.
Shirley also enjoyed spending time with her sisters, brothers, and their families. She had a very special relationship with all her nieces and nephews. Family was key to her and she spent as much time with them as she could, even travelling across the country to visit.
Shirley was predeceased by her husband, Leo Halverson; parents, Bill and Minnie McDonald; brothers, Billy (Jean) McDonald and Jim McDonald; and sisters, Catherine (Alton) Lybbert, Florance (Mel) Watson, and Verna (John) Stephenson.
She is survived by her daughter, Cathy, and husband, Rod Hoard; sister, Evelyn (Ed) Crawford; brother, Cam (Sherri) McDonald; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, March 1, 2018 at 1 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Atikokan. Friends may visit from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Interment will take place in Little Falls Cemetery in Atikokan.
The pallbearers will be Terry Beadle, Dennis Watson, Tracy Martin, Colin Lindsey, Mason Polakoff, and George Papaioannou.
The honourary pallbearers will be Josh Beatty and Allan Nelson.
If friends so desire, in memoriam donations may be made to the Atikokan General Hospital, Canadian Cancer Society, or Rainycrest Long-Term Care.
Online condolences may be offered at www.greenfuneralhomefortfrances.com