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Shirley Carmen Velasco Hartleib Obituary
Shirley Carmen Velasco Hartleib, Age 93 of Stratford passed away peacefully at Spruce Lodge
on Sunday April 7, 2024. Born in New York City on July 15, 1930, daughter of the late Conrad and Ruth Velasco (Nee Baker), sister to Carol Velasco Quail, beloved wife of the late Robert (Bob) Hartleib, loved mother of Suzanne, Jack, and Robert (Bobby) Hartleib, adored grandmother to Aaron, Annemarie, Jesiah, and Emma Hartleib, cousin to Ann Gonder and Butch Baker. Also remembered and cherished by her Velasco family in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. She was a long-time church member of Immaculate Conception Church and St. Joseph’s Church, also a member of the Catholic Women’s League in Stratford.
Shirley moved to Mexico from New York City at 3 years old where her Father Conrad was born.
After living in Mexico City they moved to Cuernavaca, Mexico where her most memorable childhood years were spent. Tragically at 18, her Father Conrad fell ill and passed away at only 40 years old. Her mother Ruth’s parents had moved to Stratford from Amherst, Nova Scotia and sponsored Shirley’s family to come to Canada. Shirley got a job at Kroehler’s Furniture where she met the love of her life Bob Hartleib and before you knew it, they were married and starting their own family. Shirley spent years working at the Eastwood Restaurant, then 27 years at
Fram.
In 1970, Bob Hartleib tragically passed from kidney failure at only 40 years old. This is when Shirely showed her true strength and continued to provide a good upbringing for her three children putting on a brave face even though she was heartbroken after their unexpected loss. Shirley continued to be this ‘ray of light’ in her family and in the community, with friends and family often commenting on how happy she was, her contagious laugh, the jump in her step, and the superlatives kept going.
Her children really meant the world to her throughout her life. In the past several years Suzanne played such a large role for her mother they loved so dearly. As she regressed in health she moved into Spruce Lodge where Suzanne would spend nearly each day at her mother’s side making sure she had anything and everything she needed to remain comfortable. She returned Shirley the love and care that she had shown everyone else throughout her life which meant so much to her as well as the rest of the family, thank you. Bobby and Jack also each shared very special bonds with their Mother throughout the years with so many great memories and laughs that we will all cherish forever. Her love for her grandchildren was unmatched and so genuine, often referring to them as her ‘precious pearls’. Whether it was shopping trips with her granddaughters to the Campus Shop or taking her grandsons to Hishon’s Sporting Goods for whatever they needed, she made sure to make the time to show each of them how special they each were to her equally.
Shirley enjoyed traveling back to Mexico throughout the years whenever she could, highlighted by a final trip she had with her sister Carol where she got to reconcile with her beloved Velasco family who took them in with so much love and kindness. It made her so proud to come home and share with her family in Stratford how she had found her “cousins’ and family that meant so much to her throughout the years after she had moved to Canada.
Friends and family may gather at the W. G. Young Funeral Home, 430 Huron Street, Stratford on Saturday, April 13, 2024 from 1 p.m. until the time of the Liturgy Service at 2 p.m., followed by a reception.
As expressions of sympathy, memorial donations may be made to The Kidney Foundation of Canada or The Alzheimer’s Society of Perth County, through the funeral home. 519.271.7411 www.wgyoungfuneralhome.com
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Shirley, please
visit our floral store.
July 15 1930
April 9 2024
Death notice for the town of: Stratford, Province: Ontario
death notice Shirley Carmen Velasco Hartleib July 15 1930
April 9 2024
obituaries notice Shirley Carmen Velasco Hartleib July 15 1930
April 9 2024
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Shirley Carmen Velasco Hartleib July 15 1930
April 9 2024 and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.
