Beloved wife of Thomas Kennedy “TK”, and mom to Tom, Robert, and Jeff. Shirley was born 1939 in the town of Oshawa to Norman LeBaron Vennor & Mary Ellen Gertrude “Nellie” Brooks originally from New Brunswick. Hers was a large family, with eight sisters and one brother.
It’s fair to say that it was our dad’s great fortune to meet Shirley. With her Elizabeth Taylor good looks to his Lloyd Bridges, they made for a great (and great looking) couple.
They loved Saturday night dances, the many friends made in the old days of East Gwillimbury Heights (before amalgamated into Newmarket), summer weekends up at Lake Simcoe, and the occasional dinner out at the Bonanza on Main St. There were dart nights at the Legion and latter the Vets Club. Shirley worked in retail and for many years at Zellers forging several life-long friendships there. A few names that come to mind from all those days are the Borleys, the McFarlanes, the Wrights, the Benettis . . . there were many more and we apologize for those we’ve forgotten.
Fondly we remember her cooking. Though spaghetti was not her strong suite (too watery! we cried out for canned Ragu), our dad loved hers and so we ate lots. That and Kraft Dinner (who didn’t) but never rutabagas. She had grown up on them in the lean times (economical & nutritious) and never wanted to touch them again. But her “Pigs in a Blanket” were the at a different level and surely the best ever. In latter years they had a trailer for a short time slightly up north.
Our Mom, like so many moms, was probably overworked and surely underappreciated at the time. Selfless, caring and loving, she was a sweetheart and it’s very hard to lose her. But we know she is now onto her next life and will meet again with our dad, her Tom.
Finally, we wish to thank the ICU team (including Meagan, Carole and Dr. Chang) at Southlake Regional Hospital for the skilled and compassionate care she received during her brief time there.
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