Shirley Mae Patterson (nee McMaster) died peacefully at home on November 10, 2021, just a few weeks short of her 96th birthday. She was predeceased by husband John Andrew William “Bill” Patterson, and is survived by much-loved daughters Carol, Lynn and Janet, grandson Andrew Johnson and granddaughter Devon Johnson. She will also remain in the hearts of Noel Latour, sons-in-law Terry Kelly and Keiran Smyth, and granddaughter-in-law Ellen Torvi.
Shirley was a Nova Scotian by blood, with her father (“Comical Jack” McMaster) hailing from Judique and her mother (Florence Miller), from Upper Musquodoboit, a town whose name Shirley took pleasure in spelling aloud all her life. She was raised in Shumacher, Ontario, and commenced her career as a payroll clerk with the Burlan Mines, recalling being sent to the bank to deposit bars of gold, armed with an empty revolver for safety. In the 1940s, she enrolled with the Royal Canadian Air Force, stationed as a Sargeant in Ottawa. She freely admitted choosing this branch of the armed forces because, in her opinion, it had the best hats. While she suffered dementia in her final years, she could still proudly remember every digit of her RCAF number.
Shirley, husband Bill and daughter Carol moved to Cardiff, Ontario-another mining town, where Shirley gave birth to Lynn and then Janet, and was subsequently hired as a clerk in the Cardiff municipal office. In the early 1970s, she received a significant promotion and became Clerk Treasurer in Brighton, Ontario (today, she’d be called a Chief Administration Officer.) This job became one of the highlights of her life: she loved the people of Brighton and was a diligent, passionate public servant. She was the kind of person who wouldn’t and couldn’t rest until the books were balanced to the penny each night during tax time. Brighton would hold her heart for the rest of her life and she would fondly declare to all and sunder that Brighton would always be “home”.
Shirley was a lover of fiddle music, bagpipes, gospel and Dixieland. She loved to dance and travel. She adored red birds, little brown and black dogs, yellow gardens and pink sunsets. She never met a piece of silver jewellery or pair of shoes she didn’t like. She loved Christmas presents and loathed jazzed-up Christmas carols. She had a joyful heart.
Shirley believed deeply in the principles of social justice her entire life. (She lost many nights’ sleep having imaginary fights with Republican presidents.) She was an active member of Trinity St. Andrews United Church in Brighton, and volunteered with its clothing bank as well as with the Trenton Memorial Hospital. Before her final move to Stittsville in 2019, (where she was cared for by Carol and Noel) she resided at Season’s Retirement Home in Trenton. There, she was lucky to have a very-late-life romance with saxophonist Johnny Mitchell, a relationship that brought them both great joy.
Shirley always expected events to start on time: she would check her watch just before curtain, pursing her lips if things were running even a few minutes late. In the final years of her life, she made it clear to everyone how blessed a life she had led, but that it was well past time for her to move on. Shirley, your time has finally come. May you now rest in peace as your family and friends rejoice at the memory of your extraordinary life.
A celebration of life will be held in Brighton on May 14, 2022. Donations in Shirley’s memory can be made to Trinity St. Andrews Church in Brighton, Ontario. Arrangements entrusted to the BRIGHTON FUNERAL HOME 130 Main St., Brighton (613-475-2121). To leave a condolence, please visit www.rushnellfamilyservices.com
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Shirley Mae Patterson McMaster Wednesday November 10th 2021..
Death notice for the town of: Trenton, Province: Ontario