Obituary of CRAWFORD – Sheila

1916 – 2011 Sheila Crawford died peacefully on Saturday, April 16, 2011, with her daughters at her side. Born in Cariboo Country, BC in 1916, Sheila’s life was an adventure from beginning to end. Sheila lost her mother at the age of 18 months while her father was serving overseas in WWI and had to spend her early years in the loving care of assorted aunts and uncles throughout North America. As a young girl in Cranbrook, BC she “borrowed” ranch horses off the range and took them for day-long joyrides until her father capitulated and bought her Patsy, her beloved mustang. She attended Strathcona Girls School on Vancouver Island and then enrolled in medicine at the University of Alberta where her ambition–advanced for the time–was to teach birth control in India. Due to her propensity for blowing up her lab experiments, her Profs were relieved when she met the love of her life, George. Their 65-year marriage was blessed with four daughters and the family settled down to a life of joyful chaos at their farm, Bedlam Ridge. Sheila was an energetic student of life and nature. The things she loved: travel, reading, painting, bonfires, charred hot dogs, chocolate, riding horses and walking her dogs. She was not a dancer but was often called upon at parties to perform her rendition of Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Dying Swan”. She lived her life with gratitude, generosity and an enthusiasm that was contagious. Her dauntless Scottish spirit was behind many of George’s contributions to the community. A feminist before her time, she was one of the founders of Tweedsmuir School for Girls. Sheila is survived by her daughters, Sally Gross, Eve Crawford and Erica Galeski (Marc); seven grandchildren, Ragnar Saether (Dana), Katharine Saether (Leon), Kevin Gross (Natalie), Patrick Galeski (Jelena), Sarah Galeski (Graeme), Duncan Macnaughton and Spencer Macnaughton and six great-grandchildren. Sheila was predeceased by her husband George in 2006 and her daughter Anne in 2010. Funeral Services will be held at Christ Church Elbow Park (3602 – 8th Street S.W.) on Thursday, April 21, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. Forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. If friends so desire donations can be made directly to Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, National Office and Training Centre, (P.O. Box 280, 4120 Rideau Valley Drive N., Manotick, Ontario, K4M 1A3) Telephone: (613) 692-7777 In living memory of Sheila Crawford, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES Park Memorial Chapel, 5008 ELBOW DRIVE S.W. Telephone: (403)243-8200