Obituary of Glenn Cameron STIRLING

(Doctor of Chiropractic, retired) February 3, 1950 – June 20, 2017 Glenn Cameron Stirling passed away in Calgary, Alberta on June 20th, 2017 with his siblings Robert and Michelle at his side. Glenn was born in Calgary, the second son of Robert Ashley Peter Stirling and Phyllis Mary Stirling (nee Holmes). The family moved to Edmonton and then to the town of Ponoka, where he grew up. Glenn was active in sports in his youth, including the Ponoka Gym Club. Coaches Nick Kohlman and Bob Ross inspired the best in Glenn and his siblings. However, Glenn fell in love with music and became a very good self-taught drummer, singer and guitarist. Glenn formed or was part of many Beatles-era rock bands of Central Alberta – The Frantics, Den and the Dimensions, Buckstone County and the Gaetz Avenue Dance Band (which won the Kiwanis Music Festival in 1970s). After high school, Glenn enrolled in Red Deer College intending to be a phys ed teacher, but due to the accidental rolling of a friend’s car, he ended up in the chiropractic care of Dr. Glenn Chidlow who inspired him to pursue a career in that field. Glenn took to chiropractic like a duck to water. Prior to moving to Davenport, Iowa to study at Palmer College of Chiropractic, Glenn married Jill Sim of Red Deer. Together they had three wonderful children (who today are also very talented in the arts, technology, and as entrepreneurs). Glenn graduated with high honours from Palmer and throughout his life continued to take (and give) seminars and workshops. He was entertaining, charismatic and had an avid following of clientele. Glenn established successful chiropractic offices in Red Deer and Rimbey; he later moved to the U.S. and practised in California for a time; then back to Canada. His wife Jill, a chiropractic assistant and fabulous interior designer was instrumental in his success as a chiropractor. However, after moving to California, Glenn became unhappy with the clinic where he worked. This and other life issues led to divorce. Subsequently he and his second wife Lyn set up a new practice in Calgary. Glenn did not like Alberta’s cold winters and neither did his new California-born wife. Initially they thought of travelling the U.S. in a motorhome, which they tried for a few months. But Lyn and Glenn decided to settle in Kelowna and set up practice there. During their time in Kelowna, aside from the shared-time (with Jill, then of Sylvan Lake) raising his children, Lyn and Glenn also took Lyn’s nieces Nazhona and Crystal in to their lives as part of the family. While in Kelowna, Glenn gave many talks on chiropractic, health, nutrition and weight loss. Around 2006, he and Lyn separated; Subsequently, Lyn became quite ill. In 2008 Glenn faced a year of disaster. He went bankrupt, he lost everything in the divorce, his apartment and the few belongings he had were flooded when pipes burst in his apartment just as he’d left on vacation (the neighbour moved out and left apartment windows open in minus 36°C weather). A day later his mother died. Marooned overseas, with nothing to come back to, Glenn simply pressed on, survived and began a new life abroad – a credit to his resilient and resourceful nature. He would say, in later years, that his friend John Vold told him “When you’re going through hell, just keep going.” He did. Working on just the money he made overseas, he managed to travel and get jobs around Asia – Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and India; he also travelled in Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and his dream was to retire to one of these warm tropical spots and continue part-time chiropractic work while teaching weight loss seminars on the beach based on his weight loss book (which will be published posthumously by his sister). But this was not to be. He returned to Canada in 2015 believing that he’d had a mild stroke, but further medical review revealed he had developed a rare, sporadic disorder – Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) – an aggressive ‘cousin’ of Parkinson’s Disease for which there is no cure. PSP causes falling, restriction of vision, damage to speech, smile and swallowing muscles. He was frustrated that he could not speak, smile or joke as he had done all his life; he was humiliated that people thought his staggering in the street and slurred speech were due to being drunk, not a neurological disorder. His condition had rapidly declined in the spring of 2017. For a person whose entire life had been dedicated to health and fitness, it was a cruel end. Glenn chose to leave this world through the Medical Assistance in Dying program – a thoughtful, thoroughly vetted process that allowed a compassionate end to his suffering. He is immensely proud of his children. He leaves behind his daughter Miche and his granddaughter Katie (Calgary), son Landon (wife Doris, and granddaughter in Austria) and son Justin and granddaughter (New Zealand), his brother Robert (Doloris, Calgary) and sister Michelle (Calgary). He remembers the good friendship of many people in Ponoka, especially – Dale Girling, Don Sutherland, Debbie McLeod, Ken Smith, Duane Riske, Dr. Glenn Chidlow, Norm Greenwood, John Vold, Cheryl Vold, Gary Thompson (aka FUDD); in Kelowna – Mike Berger, Connie and Walter Hoppe; overseas – Lucas Lim, Dr. David Miller, Wendy Chiang, and his friend Shane, his friend Daunesh, his friend Bruce; Carlos Manuel Rosario and Chary. Glenn also wanted to thank Zvika Anosh for all the practical and emotional support he gave him at the worst times of his life. Glenn and his family express gratitude to Dr. Mackie and Dr. Sarna and their team at Foothills Neurological Clinic; to the rehab and social services at the Sheldon Chumir Community Access Rehab program and to Tanya Paquette and her team with Alberta Health Services In his last days, Glenn enjoyed gluten-free meals at the Moti Mahal and Heavens Gluten Free in Calgary where the staff were very warm and caring toward him and the food was excellent. Glenn was also emotionally moved to be present at a musician’s reunion in Red Deer put together by many of his former band friends, the weekend before his passing. Glenn mentally hummed “Penny Lane” to keep himself from being depressed, a tip he said he’d learned from a patient years ago who told him that having a song in your heart and mind would keep you from being down. Glenn loved the music of the Beatles, the Kinks, and the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar. He passes on the wisdom of his father, Pete Stirling “Life is for the living. You can grieve my death when I’m gone but only for a day, then get back to living.” In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the charity of your choice in Glenn’s name. Glenn used to sing this Beatles song, playing his acoustic guitar. May his spirit fly like a singing blackbird, released of his suffering body. Blackbird singing in the dead of night Take these broken wings and learn to fly All your life You were only waiting for this moment to arise. Blackbird singing in the dead of night Take these sunken eyes and learn to see All your life You were only waiting for this moment to be free. Blackbird fly, blackbird fly Into the light of the dark black night. Blackbird fly, blackbird fly Into the light of the dark black night. Funeral Services will be held at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY (Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive S.W. Calgary, AB) on Thursday, July 6, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. A subsequent Celebration of Glenn’s Life will be held at a later date in the Red Deer area. Condolences may be forwarded through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. In living memory of Glenn Stirling, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Park Memorial, 5008 ELBOW DRIVE S.W. Calgary, AB, T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.