Shirley Hornford

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Shirley Hornford on November 22, 2016.

Shirley will be lovingly remembered by her children Robert (Wendy Molnar), Jim, Don (Cindee Nyrose) and Bev (Tony Zerr). Also left to remember are her beloved nine grandchildren: Cale, Tate and Lane Hornford; Alex, Thomas and Megan Hornford; Alexa Hornford; and Lauryn and Erin Zerr.

She will also be thought of with great fondness by in-laws, Harold (Lois) Hornford and Herb (Shirley) Hornford and Eleanor Mills and her nieces and nephews. Her friends and neighbours will also mourn her passing.

Shirley was predeceased by her loving husband of 56 years, Helgi Hornford (March 20, 2014), her parents George and Mary Mills and her brother, David Mills.

The younger of the two Mills children, Shirley was born on August 1, 1935 in the town of Ituna. During the war years her father was an instructor with the Royal Canadian Navy which required moving his family to St. Hyacinth, Quebec. In 1945 the family moved to Leslie where her father was a grain elevator agent. After high school in Leslie, Shirley attended Normal School and taught school at Quill Valley School until 1957.

In 1957, Shirley married Helgi Hornford, a local farmer who often came by her father’s grain elevator. She and Helgi were married in Leslie and together they farmed and raised their family on the Hornford farm near Elfros. In addition to grain farming, the Hornford farm was, at one time or another, home to a large broiler egg production system, a hog farm, and for many years a very busy Charolais cattle operation.

In 1961, Shirley and Helgi built a cabin at Leslie Beach at Fishing Lake. Shirley greatly enjoyed the many opportunities she had to swim, visit with family and friends, and read on the cabin deck. She spent many beautiful days with Helgi, her children and grandchildren at the Lake.

Shirley and Helgi were fortunate to travel to many interesting places including multiple trips to Cuba, Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica.

Shirley was a busy 4-H mom, hockey mom, and figure skating mom… driving all her children to their many activities. She was always kept busy baking countless cookies and cakes for bake sales, selling tickets to raise funds for various clubs, sewing figure skating costumes and hosting 4-H days on the farm. Along with the large vegetable and flower gardens that surrounded the family home, Shirley also took pride in caring for her many farmyard pets. There were always bird-books lying around to identify a new or old species coming to visit the farm. Shirley loved playing cards and board games with her family, especially her grandchildren. She loved hosting Christmas festivities at the farm every year. Christmas time on the Hornford farm was filled with skating on the dugout, delicious food, sledding, laughter, gallons of coffee and Christmas treats.

Shirley was especially proud of her children’s and grandchildren’s accomplishments, from winning 4-H ribbons to graduating University. Shirley and Helgi would drop everything to attend and support their grandchildren’s sports and club events, sometime travelling great distances to do so.

The only thing bigger than Shirley’s boundless energy was her heart. She would be the first to lend a hand to her neighbours whenever needed. Shirley’s quiet dedication to the care of Helgi’s parents and her own parents during their final years was an inspiration to her family. She was very stoic about her decade long challenge of living with Multiple Myeloma. Her selflessness was always present and one of Shirley’s special qualities. Her children enjoyed and benefited from the quiet steadfast support of their parents in all of their endeavors.

Shirley will be dearly missed by her family and friends who loved her and shared her life.

The Family would like to thank the many neighbours who have supported Shirley over the years, especially Debbie Ford, Brenda Zemluk and Margret Sigurdson who were always checking in on Shirley and sharing a cup of coffee with her. The Family would sincerely like to thank Tompkins Funeral Services, the Wynyard Hospital staff and our friends. Your thoughtfulness, flowers, cards and visits are very much appreciated. In lieu of flowers, the family will be making donations to the Royal University Hospital Saskatoon Cancer Clinic and the Wynyard hospital auxiliary palliative care fund.

A chapter completed

A page has turned

A life well lived

A rest well earned