Shirley Helen Simonson
June 15, 1929 - March 16, 2007
Passed away peacefully with family by her side in PGRH.
Shirley was born in Edmonton, Alberta on June 15th 1929,
shortly after birth she was adopted by the Jacobson family of
Stettler, Alberta.
On March 31st, 1931 she was joined by twin sisters, Joan
and Joyce. Shirley attended grade school in Stettler, she had
an ear for music and played the piano, she also took tap dance
lessons and danced her way to and from school.
On November 11th 1942 the Jacobson family moved to
Vanderhoof, a year later they moved to Endako where she attended school and waited on tables in
the Annon Hotel which her father operated. After fi nishing grade school at Endako, she boarded
in Vanderhoof to attend high school and in 1947, moved to the dorm in Prince George to complete
grade 12. Also in 1947 she was elected Nechako Valley Chronicle Queen and was treated royally at
a gala weekend in Vancouver.
After high school she went to Edmonton and completed a stenographer course. She then
moved back to Vanderhoof and worked for the Indian offi ce. Later she moved to Burns Lake
and worked in the offi ce for the Dept. of Highways. In 1954 Shirley moved back to Endako to
help her Mother and Father operate the Pioneer Store, Post Offi ce and telephone exchange. Jim
Simonson and another fellow operated graders for the Highways Department at Endako, and in
the evenings they played canasta with Shirley and her mother. Shirley always enjoyed winning a
few pennies from the two grader men. After a year long courtship, Shirley and Jim got engaged
and were married on February 11th, 1955. Shirley enjoyed babysitting for numerous nieces and
nephews, and she was very active with the Kinnette club and the Order of the Eastern Star.
She had two daughters, Geraldine, born April, 1963 and Karen in July of 1965. When the girls
were young and until they were teenagers, the Simonson family loaded up the tent trailer for annual
summer vacations in the Okanagan, they all enjoyed the sunshine and cool clear water there.
Weekends in the Summer were spent at the Jacobson cabin at Fraser Lake. There were many good
times and plenty of fun and laughter, with the Jacobsons, Reids, Zielkies and Simonsons.
Shirley loved gardening and she grew beautiful fl owers. Bread making days were always a
favourite of the girls because they knew there would be fresh cinnamon buns waiting for them
after school.
Shirley and Jim celebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary in Hawaii with good friends. They
also made several trips to Arizona in the Winters, Shirley was a water baby and loved the warm
pools there. In 1996 they took a trip to England and in 2001 made a bus trip across Canada.
Shirley was blessed with 4 beautiful grandchildren, Megan born in 1991, Cole in 1992, Casey in
1997 and Haley in 1999.
Recently Shirley became a 53 year member of the Order of the Eastern Star.
Shirley was a loving wife to Jim for 52 plus years, devoted Mother, Grandmother, Sister,
Aunt and a wonderful friend. She will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her.