Brown, Shirley
Brown, Shirley Edith Rose (nee Baker)
February 21, 1929- September 25, 2023It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Shirley Brown, in her 95th year, at the Winston Park Village Long Term Care facility in Kitchener, Ontario.
Shirley was born in Ottawa, Ontario to parents Vern and Irene Baker, and grew up with her two siblings in Toronto where she attended Lawrence Park Collegiate. She graduated from Victoria College, part of the University of Toronto, with a certificate in Dental Nursing. In her youth, she attended Fairlawn United Church where she met and wooed her husband, Kenneth Gordon Brown. They married on October 28, 1950 and had three children, Sheila Norene, Randall Bruce, and Karen Patricia.
Shirley, Ken and the kids moved around a bit, including a lengthy stint in Portage la Prairie Manitoba, but ultimately settled down in Oakville, Ontario where they were active members of St. Paul’s United Church. Shirley sang in the choir, participated in the UCW and they were both members of the Couples Club. The pair also enjoyed square dancing, and Shirley knitted, quilted, swam, sang, and thoroughly enjoyed playing bridge and reading many books.
Predeceased by her eldest daughter, Sheila Murphy (2006), beloved sister Norene Zinn (2007), and loving husband, Ken Brown (2016), Shirley had a debilitating stroke in 2017 which forced her to leave the Bronte area of Oakville, her home for many years, and move to an assisted living facility. Just before Covid hit, she was moved to a similar facility in Kitchener to be nearer her children.
She is survived by her devoted children, Randy Brown (Janet Auger), and Karen Brown (Paul Harris), her son-in-law Al Murphy, grandchildren Evan Murphy (Katie), Andrea Atkins (Cameron), Colin Harris (Katy), Jillian Harris, Zoë Brown and Tian Brown, her great-grandchildren Theo Atkins, Owen Harris, and Nora Murphy, and by her brother Bruce Baker (Noreen).
Shirley’s ashes will be combined with her husband’s and scattered in Bronte Creek on the day of their anniversary – October 28, 2023 – attended by immediate family only. Afterwards, we invite any friends, relatives, or acquaintances to join us at a small memorial and luncheon at noon the same day, at St. Paul’s United Church, 454 Rebecca St., Oakville, downstairs.
We would like to thank the good folks of Winston Park for their care in Shirley’s final years. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Heart & Stroke Foundation would be greatly appreciated by the family.
