SHEILA REES

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SHEILA REES Peacefully, surrounded by love on January 13, 2017, Sheila Rees left this life. She will be missed by her husband of 59 years, Vivian Rees, who loved her with all his heart, her two daughters Heidi Rees and Melissa Chalker, her son-in-law Anthony Chalker and her two grandchildren Isabelle and Duncan. She will also be missed by her dear friends Beryl and Frank Gray, her 'Canadian' nieces Kathryn, Margaret, Sheila, Allison, Lindsay and Vivienne and all of their spouses and children. Sheila will also be missed by her family in Britain: sister-in-law Irene Mann, nephews John and David Mann and his family, Philip Rees and family, nieces Pat Reid and family and Felicity Tagarsi and family. Sheila was predeceased by her older brothers Bert, Jack, William and Mervyn Mann, and younger sister Julia Earnshaw. Sheila was born to William and Elizabeth Mann on August 11, 1933 in Llanelli, Wales. The first girl in a family of boys, she became a true tomboy. When her mother passed away, she took over many of the household responsibilities. Despite these extra responsibilities at a young age, she still found time to cause trouble and misbehave. During the war, she helped distribute necessities such as sugar and flour that her father had liberated from the docks. This experience began a lifetime of caring for others including 50 years as a nurse. After graduating from nursing school, Sheila worked at Swansea General Hospital where she became a Sister. After moving to Canada, Sheila worked at the Health Sciences Centre on ward E3 as a night nurse and eventually became a Nursing Supervisor. She was respected for her unique mixture of professionalism, toughness and compassion. After her retirement, she would run into former colleagues, professional acquaintances or patients. They each had their story of how she made an impact on their life or the life of a loved one. In 1956, Sheila met Vivian Rees, her future husband and her only true love. They were married on November 30, 1957 in Pantygwdr Church in Swansea, Wales. Viv's punctuality tempered Sheila's chronic tardiness and Sheila's exuberance for life sparked Viv's sense of adventure. Their love for and devotion to each other has been an inspiration. In 1966, Sheila and Viv moved to Canada. They had no family or friends in Canada but wanted to give their daughters a better life. Despite the uncertainties and risks of moving to a new country, Sheila embraced her new home with enthusiasm and passion. She quickly made many friends in her community and church. Sheila was an active Christian who taught Sunday School, worked in the church nursery, was heavily involved in the Women's Christian Fellowship and, despite little musical training, played quite successfully in the church handbell choir. She also spent many summers as camp nurse at Camp Shanti on Clear Lake. Sheila's extensive nursing experience made her a trusted member of the camp staff and her crazy antics and pranks meant she was loved by the campers of all ages. A memorial service for Sheila will be held on Saturday, January 21, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. at Broadway-First Baptist Church, 790 Honeyman Avenue. Handicap accessible. Donations in celebration of Sheila's life can be made to Doctors without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières, a charity which provides non-discriminatory medical care, a value she held as a nurse and to which Sheila was very generous. The family would like to thank the staff of Victoria Hospital for their compassionate and professional care of Sheila.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 19, 2017