ANGUS HENRY SHORTT

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

ANGUS HENRY SHORTT September 25, 1908 - January 8, 2006 Peacefully in his sleep, Angus Shortt passed away at the St. Boniface Hospital on Sunday, January 8, 2006 at the age of 97. Angus's memory will be deeply cherished by his loving wife of 66 years, Elizabeth (Betsy); his son Terence Adrian (Carol) and his grandchildren; Stephanie Elizabeth Marie and Daniel Terence, along with his many friends and colleagues. Angus was born in Belfast, Ireland in 1908. His father Henry moved the Shortt family to Winnipeg in 1911 where his only sibling, brother Terence Michael, was born. It was during these early years in western Winnipeg that Angus' passion for birds and artistry took root and flourished under the guiding, talented hand of his mother, Emma Shortt (nee McMeekin). After training at the Winnipeg School of Art as part of Brigden's Graphic Arts training program, his early career involved working at museums in Winnipeg and New York. He worked at Ducks Unlimited Canada from 1939 - 1973 as a multimedia artist. Angus' extensive artistic talents are displayed through oil paintings on canvas, watercolours, pen/ink, pencil sketches and animated models for films. He married the love of his life Elizabeth Haak in 1939 and raised his only child Terence Adrian in St. Vital. At Ducks Unlimited Angus played a key role in this fledgling Canadian organization as it became established throughout Western Canada. He spent 34 auspicious years at Ducks Unlimited prior to retiring in 1973. During his career, he was the artist for a number of publications such as Know Your Ducks and Geese, articles in Sports Afield Magazine, etc. His artwork on waterfowl became widely renowned for its detail and authentic life-like settings. He became known internationally through his sales of hundreds of commissioned waterfowl paintings to sportsmen, collectors and nature lovers throughout North and South America, Europe and Australia. In 1963 he was the commissioned designer for the 15 cent Canada Geese stamp for the Canadian Post Office. Angus was a well known and long time member of the Natural History Society of Manitoba where he frequently lectured on ornithology and displayed his talent as an artist and a nature photographer. He also shared with his loving wife Betsy a passion for horticulture and together they spent many memorable decades searching and photographing wild and garden flowers and were active participants in the Winnipeg Horticultural Society. A number of his photographs were, and still are, used in annual catalogues for the T T Seed Co. Angus' prowess as an author was originally recognized through the column he wrote entitled Wild Wings published in the Winnipeg Tribune, as well as Marsh World. In 2003 he received a lifetime honour by having his autobiography entitled My Life With Birds, the educations and successes of a wildlife artist, published complete with a broad variety of his extraordinary artwork spanning 80 years. Some of the prestigious awards Angus received throughout his lifetime are: - A lake named after him (Shortt Lake), dedicated by Ducks Unlimited (1939), and later named by Geological Survey of Canada (1945). - Bronze Medal for original research and artistic merit in ornithology, Natural History Society of Manitoba (1946). - Elected Member, American Ornithologist's Union, St. Louis, Missouri (1947). - Good Citizenship Award, Manitoba Travel and Convention Bureau, Winnipeg (1969). - Centennial Gold Medal of Remembrance, Manitoba Historical Society (1970). - Honorary Life Membership, Manitoba Naturalist's Society (1974). - Art Award for contributions to preservation of North America's Wildlife Heritage, Ducks Unlimited Canada (1981). - Ralph D. Bird Award, Manitoba Naturalist's Society (1987). - Angus Shortt Habitat Project dedicated by Ducks Unlimited Manitoba (2001). - Queen's Commemorative Medal for her Golden Jubilee, Province of Manitoba (2002). The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to the staff of 6A of the St. Boniface Hospital for taking such loving, gentle care of Angus, and especially to long-time family physician Dr. R. Davey. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Angus' memory to Ducks Unlimited Canada, P.O. Box 1160, Stonewall, MB, R0C 2Z0. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, January 11 at 11:00 a.m. at the St. Mary's Road United Church on 613 St. Mary's Road. Arrangements entrusted to: CHAPEL LAWN FUNERAL HOME 885-9715

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 10, 2006