Shirley Attree
1936 – 2023

With sadness, we announce the passing of Shirley Louise Attree on March 15, 2023.

Shirley is survived by her three children, Allison, Vincent (Nina) and Anson (Jolene); two brothers, Roy and Garry; and five grandchildren, Austin, Mallory, Charlie, Ella and Eddie.

Shirley was predeceased by her husband, Grahame Attree; her parents, Reider and Margaret Salen; her husband’s parents, Harry and Veronica Attree; and two brothers, Kenneth and Douglas.

Shirley was born in Birch Hills, Saskatchewan, and raised on the farm near there. After graduating from high school, she obtained her teacher’s certificate in Saskatoon and later taught at New Osgoode, Weldon and Red Wing Schools. Shirley also attended secretarial school and worked for the Chief Engineer at Saskatchewan Government Airways (later Norcanair) in Prince Albert, where she met Grahame and they married on October 10, 1959. In mid-life, Shirley worked for a polling firm, the regional library and part-time at a construction firm.

Mum and Dad went on a cruise and visited many places in Canada, Australia, Cuba, and the U.S.A. One of her favourite trips was to Scotland and she also really enjoyed touring the Maritimes and Newfoundland. Keeping in touch with friends and relatives was always important to her. She was an avid reader, very well-informed, an excellent embroiderer and, along with her mother, a member of the Saskatchewan Embroiders’ Guild and the Prince Albert Sharp Needles. She sang with the church choir and the Watsonairs.

Shirley always loved music and attended many performances at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre as a season ticket holder. She was happiest when playing the piano and knew how to play a few hundred songs by ear. Volunteering in the community was important to Mum and she delivered Meals-On-Wheels for many years. Under her leadership, the Senior Songsters regularly entertained at seniors’ long-term care homes. Also in the seniors’ homes, she played piano with The Jammers and they also played at the Seniors’ Heritage Centre where she enjoyed watching the Monday afternoon dancers and visiting with friends.

Shirley also loved the country home that she and Grahame built in 1962 on an acreage in Green Acres north of Prince Albert, where she raised her family and lived for about 55 years. Every year she planted, weeded, picked and then cooked or preserved her garden’s produce. She fed the birds, picked berries, walked for exercise each day with her dog, socialized with the neighbours and enjoyed lying on her lounge chair in the sun reading or doing the Daily Herald crossword puzzle. Some will remember her delivering their Avon, often on her bicycle. After selling her country home, Shirley moved to assisted living where she maintained her zest for life and love of music.

Mum was very social, had many goods friends, was forgiving, and was almost always in a good mood. She could drink coffee at 10 PM and then sleep soundly. Shirley paid attention to her outfits, hair and make-up and enjoyed aerobics, yoga, jogging and cross-country skiing over the years. She maintained her slim figure and was always very fit. When she was a senior, Shirley famously water-skied along Waskateena Beach and went to Candle Lake every summer.

Shirley baked the best bread and was an excellent, if messy, cook. She made sure to mark all the family birthdays and other milestones with a dinner party and homemade angel food cake. She kept up all the holiday traditions, which meant a lot to everyone in the family, especially her children and grandchildren. Shirley was a caring and loving mother, always there for us, no matter what.

She will be missed … so, so much, and live forever, all around us.

A private memorial gathering will be held at a later date. Online condolences may be left at https://www.arbormemorial.ca/en/riverpark/obituaries/shirley-attree/100970 . Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the care of River Park Funeral Home, (306) 764-2727, Carla Jesso, Funeral Director.

• Date : 2023-03-15
• Location : Birch Hills, SK