Obituary of Shirley Louise Gould (née Colpitts)

May 12, 1927-December 22, 2021

Shirley Gould of Calgary, AB passed away on Wednesday, December 22, 2021 at the age of 95 years. 

Grandma Gould (“GG”) was born in Regina, SK, the fourth of five children of William Colpitts and Eva (Stiles) Colpitts. The last surviving member of her generation, she was predeceased by her parents, her older siblings Elsie (Russ) Gorham, Bill (Wanda) Colpitts and Jack (Trudy) Colpitts, and younger sister Betty (Buddy) Spearing. She was also predeceased by Derry, her husband of 53 years, son Jeffrey; and sisters-in-law, Dulce Gould and Claire (Graham) Bridgman.

GG is survived by her daughter, Sherri (Patrick) McAndless, and grandchildren, Kali (Sean Walker) and Taylor McAndless, all of Richmond, B.C.; son Glenn, wife Gill, grandson Connor (Lesley McNeilly) and great-grandsons, Walter and Harrison, granddaughter Bailey (John) Schwartz and great-grandchildren, Izzy and Jack, granddaughter Lara (Luke) Robertson, and granddaughter Emily (Brad) Webber, all of Calgary; son Tom, wife Cathie, granddaughter Megan (Travis) McClelland and great-granddaughter Hannah, granddaughters, Kim, Charlie and Becca (Drew Crawford) and grandson Mike, all of Calgary; and son Patrick (Karen Nielsen), currently of Sydney, Australia, grandson Mac (Kate) and great-granddaughter Sloane, and granddaughters, Carly (Cass Bruni), Christie (Kirk Wyss) and Andie, all of Calgary.  She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and good friends.

After growing up on the family farm in southeast Saskatchewan, Shirley left home to attend Normal School, from which she graduated and commenced working as a teacher in Regina in 1950.  She met Derry, a young geological engineer recently graduated from the University of Saskatchewan, and they married in Regina on May 1, 1952.  Sherri, Glenn, Tom and Jeff were born in Regina before the oil patch beckoned Derry to Calgary in 1960, and Patrick arrived a year later.

Shirley and Derry rented in Haysboro before buying their first house in Glendale Meadows in 1963. Within a couple of years, they had joined the newly rebuilt Glencoe Club and purchased the family cottage at Windermere Lake. As the kids became older, the family outgrew the house on Glenview Drive and moved to Colborne Crescent in Mount Royal where they could make better use of the Glencoe Club and Shirley could develop her skills in hanging wallpaper and wielding a paintbrush.  When not otherwise engaged in raising her own kids, over the years Shirley also “parented” two cats – Sutu and Sheba – three dogs – Frosty, Duffy and Tanner – and Fred the canary, in addition to acting as midwife for Sutu’s three litters of kittens.

While the kids were young, Shirley became a single mother for two months a year at the cottage with Derry commuting to join the tribe on weekends and buy another barrel of gas for the boat. Her crowning achievement at the cottage was the living room fireplace which, with the help of Calgary neighbours George and Joyce Tulk, she refaced with colourful stone she found in the Columbia River valley. When the kids became unruly, she unleashed her windmill “fist of fury” which generally calmed things down as the kids fell to floor, convulsed in laughter. She seldom if ever resorted to the wooden spoon to restore order but everyone knew it was in the drawer. She also knew how to handle the business end of hair trimmers, so her boys never knew what a barber was until they left home.

Shirley and Derry enjoyed many happy summers at Windermere but in later years succumbed to the travel bug, undertaking several extended driving tours of Canada and the United States as well as trips to Europe, Asia, and Hawaii. Eventually they found a quiet spot in Sun Lakes, Arizona where they wintered for several years, enjoying their retirement while playing golf and tennis, riding their bikes, making new acquaintances, and entertaining friends and family.

A proud Saskatchewan farm girl, wife, mother, friend, humanitarian, and feminist, Shirley loved her extended family. She was vitally proud of her children and grandkids whom she supported in all their endeavours. She was likewise supportive of family, friends, and community, and loyal to her farm roots in the way she entertained and fed others in her home. Shirley was an excellent cook and baker, and particularly renowned for her pies, angel food cakes and waffles. Artistically she was a perfectionist, whether it was hanging wallpaper, sewing, knitting, crocheting, building the family cottage, or baking gingerbread people to hang on the Christmas tree. Shirley was open and accepting of new ideas, cutting edge in her attitude in embracing the diversity in life, and quick to laugh.

After celebrating of 50 years of marriage in 2002, Shirley lost Derry in December, 2005 but continued to live independently in their Calgary condo until 2014 when, recognizing that she needed increasing help in her day-to-day existence, she moved first to the Fountains of Mission and later to Staywell Manor in Garrison Wood.  Active until a fall and broken hip in her 90s slowed her down, she graciously handled the last stages of her life by planning forward to the changes that would be imminent. In her final years, Shirley suffered the effects of Alzheimer’s but, although sometimes confused, she was, to use Glenn’s words, “happily demented” and always delighted when visiting or visited by friends and her children, fifteen grandchildren and six (and counting) great-grandchildren.  Shirley faced the challenges in life that come from aging with courage, strength and resilience. We love you and miss you, Mum. You were a great role model.

Shirley asked that there be no service following her passing, but condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on her obituary here.

In living memory of Shirley Gould, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive S.W., Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone (403) 243-8200.