Long-tim evolunteerShirleyW alm sleydies at age88 by Nathan Howes Oakville Beaver Staff 3 |Thursday, February 9, 2017 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Shirley Walmsley was driven by her compassion and desire to help others in the Oakville community A testament to that was having the designation of Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital's (OTMH) longest-serving volunteer, contributing nearly 5,000 hours of her time over 61 years. The long-time volunteer died on Thursday, Feb. 2 at the age of 88, after bathing cancer for four years. She volunteered at OTMH until September 2016. Visitation will be held at Kopriva Taylor Community Funeral Home, 64 Takeshore Rd. W , on Friday, Feb. 10 at 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. A celebration of life for Walmsley will take place Saturday, Feb. 11 at 11 a.m. at Walton Memorial United Church, 2489 Takeshore Rd. W , in Bronte. In recognition of her years of work in the community, Walmsley received numerous accolades, including a 60-year service pin at the Oakville Hospital Volunteer Association' s (OHVA) annual general meeting in June 2015; a 2015 heading Women Building Communities Recognition Award from Oakville MPP and Ontario Tabour Minister Kevin Flynn; and, was nominated for the Town of Oakville's 2015 Community Spirit Award (Senior Award). In 2009, she received a Community Spirit Award (Senior Award; along with husband, Douglas) and the Oakville Senior of the Year Award, while in 2015, she was given the Ontario Senior of the Year Award, and in 1988, the Red Cross Award for 135 blood donations. In an email to the Oakville Beaver, Walmsley's daughter, Tinda Shirley Walmsley | Metroland Media Fletcher, described her mother as "a very generous, caring and loving person, who maintained many close friendships throughout her life." "She has been described as a strong woman, who was ahead of her time. Shirley was a spiritual woman and a pillar in the community, including at Walton United Church in Bronte since 1954," said Fletcher. "She was head of the United Church Women for many years and continued this role up until her passing last week. She was also a long-time choir member and soloist and served on many committees." Fletcher said Walmsley was a dedicated mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend who was "never too busy to help out." "Shirley was a loyal Toronto Blue Jays fan, who loved to talk baseball with her grandsons," Fletcher said. With Douglas, a well-known local family physician and 12year hospital volunteer, Walmsley moved to Oakville from Port Credit, Ont., in 1954. Fletcher was a baby at the time. Dr. Douglas Peter Walmsley, a beloved and passionate Bronte doctor and family man, died in the fall of 2014, at the age of 95, following a brief batde with pancreatic cancer. Shirley was the love of his life for the veteran of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in Tondon, England, and -- at one time -- the only doctor between Kerr Street in Oakville and Brant Street in Burlington. According to Shirley in an earlier interview with the Beaver, that was when the population in Bronte was about 1,200 and when he made his first house call and came home with $4, he was so excited. Both husband and wife volunteered at the local hospital. see Shirley on p.14 u/ PANDORA A hand-finished O pen Hearts Bracelet G ift Set in sterling silver with cerise crystal. $ 2 2 5 ($ 265 retail value) *W h ile supplies last. V alid o n ly at pa rticipatin g retailers. N o substitutions. TH E P A N D O R A STO RE AT O A K V IL L E P LA C E 905.829.8527 · @PANDORAOAKVILLE Snake Chain Bracelet System (U.S. Pat. No. 7, 007 , 507 ) · © 2016 Pandora Jewelry, LLC · All rights reserved