Obituary of Shirley Gawne
Gawne, Shirley Annette
1941 - 2022
A resident of Ridgetown, Shirley Gawne (nee Marchand) passed away on Monday, March 14, 2022 at the Village on the Ridge Nursing Home just short of her 81st birthday hand in hand with her daughter.
She was the daughter of the late Joseph and Laura Marchand.
Mother of Gregory (Laura) of Ridgetown, Barbara (Rick) of Ridgetown and Jeff of Shrewsbury.
Grandmother of JoDee (Greg), Michelle (Pat), Dustin, Gillian (Bryan), Stephanie, Jocelyn (Mark), Kelsey and Brooke. Great Grandmother of Camryn, Kaiden, Lynnly, Paiton, Addalyn, Lola, Georgia, Blake, Caleb, Daxx, Wilder, Skyler and Shayden.
Survived by brother Roger (Pauline), sisters Liz and Rita, sister-in-law to Carol (Robert), Lynda (Ross), Paul (Eileen) and Sandra.
She will be missed by many nieces, nephews and extended family.
Shirley was born and grew up in Dover Township. She married at a young age and started her family. Later Shirley worked at Chatham Fab and the Book Shelf Bindery for many years. Shirley and Austin were campers in the early days and took their family on many camping trips with friends, where she was a master at packing up and organizing everything. Shirley was a proud hockey mom but when she wasn’t at a hockey game, she was at the arena with Barb for figure skating. Over the years she was a big help to her kids taking care of her grandchildren and giving their parents a break. Shirley also volunteered out at the village doing nails for the residents. Shirley was a good sport, in the 80’s Shirley followed Austin across Canada to Dawson City in the Yukon for many years while he worked in the gold mines. This was not an easy life as you were very isolated but Shirley was with Austin and that was where she wanted to be. Mostly Shirley was a home body who enjoyed taking care of her family and putting on big meals and gathering her loved ones around her.
And now Shirley is reunited with Austin again.
As per Shirley’s wishes, cremation has taken place. A Private Family Celebration and burial will take place at a later date.
In memory of Shirley, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Chatham-Kent.
Funeral arrangements entrusted to McKinlay Funeral Home 76 Main Street, Ridgetown, ON N0P 2C0. Please share a condolence online at www.mckinlayfuneralhome.com.
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