Shirley Rae Mansfield

 Shirley Rae Mansfield (née Carver), 96, passed away peacefully on Dec 28th, 2024 at the North Queens Nursing Home. We would like to thank all of the staff for providing Shirley with excellent care, support, and kindness. 

 Born the youngest of two girls to the late Eudora Leaton Forrest Carver and Berton Leroy Carver on Dec 23rd, 1928 in West Caledonia, NS. Shirley spent her childhood with her sister, Ruey, on their farm, learning the virtues of hard work and her love of family. In the evenings, they would listen to her father read the Bible to them and this practice instilled Shirley with great faith and strong morals. As a young woman, Shirley worked at the Kedge Lodge at Kejimkujik National Park and the North Queens Heritage House Museum. She loved to sing and play the Hawaiian guitar and would often play at dances at the West Caledonia Hall. 

 Shirley thought herself unable to become pregnant, but still knew that there was work to be done. Throughout her adult life, she fostered 28 youth in need of a safe home to land in - some of whom stayed with ‘Mom’ and became her legal children. She continued her work with the foster system even after having two natural births, and so her family grew as large as her heart. Shirley had a tireless and generous soul, and she poured herself into her family, her church, and her community. When Shirley did rest, she loved to go on vacation to Cuba and other resorts with her husband of 17 years, George. She was also an avid knitter. But her favorite thing of all was gathering with her family and friends. Her home was often filled with warm laughter and a warm oven. Shirley’s recipes were never closely guarded and her phone often rang with children and grandchildren asking again and again: “How did you make yours?” The addition of sugar was assumed. Shirley loved all of her family deeply and her love curated a large & extended family that stayed close even as they made families of their own. She was overjoyed to become a great-great-grandmother to boys Jensen & Levi and loved to have her “busy boys” visit. She was so proud of all of her grandchildren equally, and spoke highly of them to anyone who got close. She was truly an Angel in the shape of our Grammie, and we were all so lucky to have had her for every day that we did.

 Shirley’s memory will be cherished by her daughter, Joanne Weare; and her sons, Kenneth (Sheila) Forrest, Watson (Bonnie) Forrest, Blair (Louise Chagnon) Forrest, William "Bill" Forrest, Darrill (Yvonne Mansfield) Whynot, Darren Whynot, Billy-Joe McCue and by her grandchildren, Cindy (Joe) Ross, Christopher (Jennifer) Weare, Justin (Leanne) Forrest, Caitlyn (Lucas Smith) Forrest, Daniel Forrest, Taylor (Corey Saunders) Forrest, Cassidy (Simon Bush) Forrest, Alaina McCue, Kylee McCue; by her great-grandchildren, Shayla (Kyle Kaiser) Ross, Alexzandria (Ashton Winters) Ross, Kerwyn, Olivia, & Lauren Weare, Keegan,& Brenna Forrest, and Sophia Forrest; and by her great-great-grandchildren, Jenson & Levi. 

 Besides her parents, Shirley was predeceased by her husband, George Mansfield, her sister, Ruey Carver, her son Vincent Cunningham, and her son-in-law, Roger Weare. 

 Visitation will be held in Chandlers’ Funeral Home on Thursday evening, January 2, 2025, from 7 until 9 p.m. Funeral Service will be held in Caledonia United Church on Friday, January 3, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. Reverend David Lutes officiating. Burial will be in Harmony Cemetery. Online condolences may be made below.

 “Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in, it is what God gave you time for.” -Rachel JanKovic