Shirley (MacKinnon) MacNeil

Shirley Louise MacNeil

Sydney Mines

It is with deep sadness that the family of Shirley Louise MacNeil advise of her peaceful passing on Sunday April 10, 2022, after a brief illness.

Born in North Sydney on June 2, 1935, Shirley was the much-loved daughter of James and Anita (Jenkins) MacKinnon. She grew up in a large, warm and loving family and was close to her many cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. She had many fond memories of her family life at 110 Pierce Street in North Sydney. She formed many close friendships during that time and told stories of swimming at Indian Beach, skating at the North Sydney forum and even running away to hide out on Ferris Hill after Grade 6 with her long-time friend Thelma after they both didn’t do as well as they perhaps should have in Grade 6 – her mother had very high standards. Even though she lived in Sydney Mines for over 55 years, she still considered herself to be from North Sydney.

Shirley married Hamilton (Hammie) MacNeil on August 19, 1961. In many ways they were opposites but at the same time formed a very tight bond that lasted for over 56 years until his death in 2018.  She grew to appreciate the finer points of what makes a good truck and bulldozer combination and he learned how to not track dirt in the house. They both worked very hard to build their home in Sydney Mines. They were a very well-matched pair who were excellent parents and role models with a large circle of close friends and neighbours who enjoyed each other’s company – we miss them both very much. As they got older, they enjoyed time with their grandchildren and travels to Ontario and various extended family road trips.

As she got older, Shirley began to volunteer and give back to her community. She very much enjoyed her work with the Sydney Mines Community Police Association and the Holy Family Catholics Women’s League. She spent many hours working at the Community Office and participating in the various office events – she worked her last high school Prom “all-nighter” when she was well into her 80s. She also spent many hours in the company of her good friends at the CWL making sandwiches, organizing Fall Fairs and helping keep her Church community strong, which was very important to her.

In the last few years, she has been able to maintain her independence and lived comfortably in her own home, enjoying watching the world by from her chair in her sunroom and in the summertime sitting in her gazebo (when she was not busy scrubbing her driveway…). Her family would like to thank her sister Phyliss and her long-time good friend and neighbour Mickey Bushnick for enabling her to stay active and on the go. She very much enjoyed her frequent outings and visits with both of them. As well Darrell and Kim played a critical role in enabling her to remain in her home and we are very grateful and appreciative, as we know she was, of the help they provided to her each day.

Shirley is survived her sons Tim (Karen), grandchildren Kelley (Nick), Christina (Dimitri) and Tony great grandchild Sophie, Blaise (Trish), grandchildren Liam (Cheryl) and Erin (Kris) and Darrell (Kim) and grandchildren Kara (Colin), Kent, and Colton her sister Phyllis (Art Jackman), her brother Bud and Ralph (Helen) and her in laws Jim Corbett, Isabel MacNeil, Agatha Cowie, Helen Hanratty, Anne Marie MacNeil and Shal Mai MacNeil, many nieces and nephews and many close friends.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her sisters Dorothy (Gerald Jardine), Joan (Ernie Brown), Ann Corbett, her sister-in-law Joan MacKinnon and her MacNeil in laws, Frank, Connie, Ruth Burke, Joe, Tom, Cameron, Eddie, Ella and Mary, Bern MacNeil, Harry Cowie and Burt Hanratty.  She was also predeceased by her much loved and missed nephew, Jon Corbett and her niece Judee Young.

Thank you to Dr. Bill MacDonald for many years of care, the doctors and Nursing staff on the 4th floor of the Cape Breton Regional Hospital and the outstanding 4th Floor Palliative Care Team who provided her with such great care during her stay there over the past month.

Visitation for Shirley will be held on Monday April 18, 2022, from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. in J.M. Jobes Funeral Home, 635 Main St., Sydney Mines. Mass of Christian burial will be held Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Family Church. Private interment at Holy Cross Cemetery at a later date. Family flowers only please. If you wish to make a donation, please consider supporting the Sydney Mines Food Bank or the SPCA.
Words of comfort may be forwarded to the family at www.jmjobesfuneralhome.com.