Shirley Doris (Ward) Hoffman

We celebrate the life of Shirley Doris (Ward) HOFFMAN, born on July 24, 1936, in Melfort, SK.  On January 25, 2024, she was freed from Alzheimer’s and passed at St. Joseph’s (St. Mary’s Villa) in Humboldt, SK.

Spalding, SK was home to Shirley – growing up, through school, with husband Leo (married 1954) on the Hoffman farm (SE26-38-18 W 2nd), and raising children Laverne Mervin (1955), Gary David (1958), and Adele Mildred (1960). In 2005 she moved to Naicam, SK by Laverne and Dolores, and then to Watson, SK in 2012 to the Quill Plains Lodge.  

She worked hard all her life: as a hospital care aide; at Spalding Credit Union, Watson Auction Market, Christianson Trucking in Naicam, and their ¾ section farm. With a lifelong knack for numbers Shirley proudly earned her Gr. 12 GED diploma as an ‘experienced, mature’ student.

Shirley treasured children, and grandkids’ pictures adorned her proud ‘wall of fame’. She enjoyed picking wild saskatoons and chokecherries in the north-quarter.  Canola crops in bloom flared this proud farmer’s asthma. The best soup maker around, she was a great cook and loved to bake.  Well known for delicious dinner buns and cinnamon buns (from SK to BC), she went by the ‘feel’ – don’t ask for measurements! 

Summer fun included Barrier Lake camping, fishing and boating and being surrounded by friends and family. Shirley enjoyed ‘hooking’ crocheted blankets – including in the grain truck at night waiting for the combine.  She enjoyed tending her vegetable and flower gardens; wave petunias were a must for her hummingbirds – both at home and the lake.

Shirley was a published poet with the Poetry Institute of Canada. A varied coin collection brought much pleasure. Sweating under a ball cap, she’d whip around on her tractor contentedly mowing grass for hours.  Decked out with rubber boots and a hoe, her favourite thing in spring was hand-ditching water runoff.

The Spalding Library, Reynold Rapp Museum, Dovre Lutheran Church, community club ‘book audits’, local government parties, Barrier Lake Society and the Naicam Thrift Store were blessed by her volunteering spirit. She was very social and enjoyed being part of the Sassy Sisters and was Queen of the local Red Hats Society.

Throughout her life, ‘Millie’s Shirley’ and cousin ‘Nettie’s Shirley’ shared a deep bond.

Whenever you wear BLUE, please think of Shirley (Mom, Grandma, Sister, Aunt, Friend) – who wore many shades of her favourite color, often!

Celebrating her life include:

Laverne & Dolores (Kovlaske) of Naicam, SK:

     Jason (Nicole) of Melfort, SK: Grace and Kate

     Justin (Amanda) of Naicam, SK: Mikaela (Hayden) Eggermeyer: daughter Adeline; Dylan, Londyn and Jersey

     Crystal (Terry) Meekins of Esterhazy, SK: Sadie and Lexie

     Joel (Dena) of Naicam, SK: Brooke (Bradley) Davis: sons Kayson & Nixon; Xavier and Addison

     Janette (Brandon) Brock of Weyburn, SK: Russell, Gabriel, and Layla

Gary of Okotoks, AB:

      Caley (Kristelle) of Watson, SK: Seth and Avery

Adele & Gerry Peterson of Chilliwack, BC:

     Mallory (Christian) Rowan of Agassiz, BC: Rayla and Hailey

     Rachel (Philip) Werner of Abbotsford, BC: Kira and Isabelle

Sisters Kay Henry of Sydney, BC and Linda Selin (Gordon Cowie) of Regina, SK; sister-in-law Lorraine (Ray) Freyling of Saskatoon, SK, best friend / cousin Shirley (David) Bieker of Sundre, AB, plus numerous nieces, nephews, friends and neighbours.

Family predeceasing her: Mother Millie Fielder (1991), Father Ronald Ward (England 1980), Step-dads Vernon Selin (1958) and Marion Earl Fielder (1977); Husband Leo (2002), Great-grandson Jackson (2023); Hoffman in-laws: parents Ed and Adela, Gertrude, Lendina, Lillian, Harold, Edward and Helen; plus many Mickelson relatives.

Shirley will be interred next to husband, Leo at the Clearview Cemetery, two miles SE of the family homestead.