DONNA JOAN (BETH) SHILLIDAY (ENFIELD)

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DONNA JOAN (BETH) SHILLIDAY (nee ENFIELD) October 5, 1931 - October 10, 2018 Our mother Beth died on Wednesday, October 10, after complications from surgery. She had just turned 87. Her loving husband, V.L. (Jim) Shilliday, predeceased her by four years. Left to fondly remember her are son Gregg (Ingeborg Boyens), daughter Caron (Merv Hart), son Charles (Paula Kelly), and her grandchildren, Catherine and Tom, (Catherine Migliore) and great-grandchildren, Joey and James. Born in London, Ontario to Clifford and Lucy Enfield, Beth was raised and educated by her maternal grandparents (Mr. and Mrs. David Robb) after the death of her mother in childbirth. She was also given much love and affection by her various Robb aunts and uncles. She met and married Jim, an RCAF jet fighter pilot, in 1952. They passed an adventurous subsequent five years with postings in England, France and Germany. Then the growing family returned to Jim's hometown of Winnipeg where he launched his newspaper career at the Tribune. Beth, Jim, and the children moved to a rural acreage in Woodlands in 1965. There Beth took up the challenge of turning Interlake bush into a country 'estate' where the family could put down roots. She also volunteered as a 4-H leader, worked as editor of the Junior Trib page, and joined the staff of Growing Minds - a children's book store. In 2002, Beth and Jim retired from the vigorous country life and moved to an apartment in Stonewall. There they replaced raising children, horses and dogs with reading, writing and extensive travels across Canada. After Jim's death, Beth continued to host tea and sandwich parties for her doting family. She delighted in stumping her children and grandchildren with obscure facts she picked up from her weekly readings of The New Yorker and The Economist. Beth was a smart, resourceful and loving woman. A private family service will celebrate her long and active life.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 16, 2018