NORA (Nonie) BEATRICE SHEA
It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of our dear, sweet mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend, Nora (Nonie) Beatrice Shea, on November 3rd, 2012 at Kamloops Seniors Village surrounded by her loving family.
Nonie was predeceased by her husband Patrick, and her three siblings Alfred, Marion, and Walter.
Mom was greatly loved, and will be missed by her children Greg Shea (Kathy), Gerry Shea (Debbie), and Kevin Shea (Beverly). The apples of her eye were her grandchildren Tyler, Brock, Jennifer and Kelly. She always said that the sound of "Gramma" was the sweetest sound of all.
Mom was born on June 2nd, 1922 in Kinistino, Saskatchewan. She was the youngest of four children. After the family's General Store was sold in 1938, at sixteen years of age, mom drove her parents west in an old Ford, to join her three older siblings in Penticton. There she met dad and they married in 1945. They moved to Nanaimo in 1949, and then to Burnaby in 1960, and finally settled in Kamloops in 1966 to raise their three sons.
Mom devoted her life to caring for her family. She loved to tend to her garden, bake, read, play cribbage, entertain and cook. We are fortunate to have inherited many of her special recipes. Mother always kept a journal and diaries of her days growing up in the prairies that she loved to share with her grandchildren.
Even in the midst of raising three teenage boys, mom never, ever became angry. She welcomed and loved all of their friends, and enjoyed a good laugh with everyone. She accepted everyone for who they were, and always sought out, and found the best qualities in all.
Although mom and dad enjoyed travelling, their best times were spent on the fishing lakes around Kamloops. They would tow their travel trailer to nearby lakes, ensuring that they were close enough for their grandchildren to join them. More than fishing, mom loved the solitude of the lakes, and the haunting sound of loons.
The family thanks the staff of Kamloops Seniors Village for always providing loving care of our mother, especially during her final days.
The family would also like to thank family friend, Kathy Meger, for all of her support throughout mother's challenging years, especially the many hours she spent playing crib with mom.
As per mother's wishes, no service will be held.
An Interment at Hillside Cemetery will be held for the family at a later date.
The family requests that any expressions of sympathy take the form of donations to the Alzheimer's Society of B.C., 543 Battle St., Kamloops, B.C.

The Wings of Time

I walked about the prairies and looked about me, and saw the beauty of Summer grown old, gracefully:
and the rose hips shrivelling on their slender boughs, leaves everywhere. Bright and dull, crisp and curled, beautiful in their dying.
Leaves and grasses crunching underfoot. Crumbling to form
a new fertile mould.
The trees and bushes looking oddly beautiful in their new nakedness.
I looked again and saw not death
but Life.
Seed of every kind, crisp and ripe
falling to the ground.
All ready for the long sleep,
while Winter does his purifying work
and Earth swings 'lowly round once more to Spring, The New Awakening!
And a great truth filled my heart,
There is no death but only change;
that comes upon the wings of time.