Esquimalt. “Ghirley mother-hen- _

ned them when they’d come over
to the house, and once,” Jim
laughs; "she chaperoned them to

the Emerald Gloves invitational.
meet in Vancouver when I had to |

go on:a band trip." The Mill Bay

Boxing Club ,won 11 out of: 13 .

bouts.and took. home the trophy.

‘In Victoria,.the Ryans built
their dream home and four years
later they sold it to come up to
Terrace. Jim says he and Shirley
both felt it was the best move
they ever could have made. Shir-
ley’s grandfather moved up with
them. He spent his last years at
Skeenaview. Jim felt the kids
gained greatly having _ their
grandfather to philosophize with.
He died in 1976 at: age 93. ©

Shirley cajoled him into their.
third project together, Jim says. It _

was when Shirley was working

with the mentally challenged at -
the Jack Cook School. With Jim’s -

musical expertise, they devised
the concept and implementation
of a Hand. Bell choir, the first in
the Northwest. Ted Wells, the

school district treasurer at the

time, ordered the : bells. under
protest...
Jim ‘and Shirley colour- and

symbol-coded the notes and bells’
on huge pieces of paper with large.

versions of the proper bars and
staff and the students were im-
mensely proud of themselves. Jim

recalls them faithfully polishing —
their bells and wearing white

gloves when they handled them.
He says, "Shirley was a real disci-
plinarian with them and they
learned well. Shirley was a grand
friend to them all. Up until a
week’ before she went to
Vancouver, they still dropped over
for tea.” “Shirley and Gail Billson
would take them down to the

Skeena Mall to perform. They also |

shared a Christmas concert with

the Caledonia Band. They also.

entered the Pacific Northwest
Music Festival on two different
occasions, When the students
from Jack Cook were integrated
into the regular school system,
Shirley followed them to Caledo-

nia, ‘where she taught - for two
years. ,
Having worked and lived with

them all her life, Shirley particu-

larly enjoyed working with elderly
people. She joined the staff at

Skeenaview shortly ‘after their |

arrival in Terrace..Helvi Wright
was one of her first acquaintarices
at Skeenaview. They became fast
friends. She was. also: active both

through the union and on the |

committee to have the old army

barracks at Skeenaview torn —

down and the new building
erected as. Terraceview.

When she wasn’t working, or
"being a good listener and my
most ardent critic", says Jim,
Shirley Ryan loved gardening, the

‘outdoors and especially fishing. It

didn’t seem to matter what she
caught. It was the experience she

went for, if a ‘humorous photo of

her with a BIG fishing rod and a
little fish is any indication! She
was also active ‘in the Legion
Ladies’ Auxiliary.

For just under a year, until

October of 1991, Shirley worked
again at Terraceview Lodge as a

casual health care worker, pro-
viding direct personal care for the

‘residents. Terraceview director

Doris Mitchell remembers Shirley

as "an absolutely wonderful per-

son. It’s hard to find the words to

_- describe how much she contrib--
uted.” Mitchell added that it was

hard to ‘see Shirley leave
Terraceview and harder now to
realize that she’s gone and can't
even come back to visit.
Jim says; "The (Community)
Band is a saviour for me, They’re
my second family. The whole
community's been really support-
ive, too." A memorial service
was held for Shirley Ann Ryan on
Saturday, March 21 at 3 p.m. at
St. Matthew's Anglican Church.

Eulogies were given by long-time

friends Helvi Wright and Norma
King. Reverend Lance Stephens

officiated. Friends and family

gathered at the Ryans’ after the
service.

a Betty Barton

IMPROVING
YOUR ODDS
AGAINST. |
most | CANADA'S
"Be-& KON. ua KILLER |

A thoughtful | way to

remember is with an In
Memoriam gift to the Heart
and Stroke Foundation of
B.C. and Yukon. Please

mail your donation to the

above address, as well as

the name and address of

next-of-kin for an
acknowledgement card.

Maggie Park

#209-4526 Park Ave.

Terrace, B.C.

638-1167

Winners
“Match 27, 1992 -$50_
Mary Brown, Terrace

March 28, 1992 - $50
Norm Heighington, Terrace

March 29, 1992 - $50
Chris Johnson, Terrace
March 30, 1992 - $50
Peter McClain, Terrace
March 31, 1992 - $100
David Hall, Terrace |
' April 1,.1992 - $100
Cheryl Lippert, Kitimat
_ April 2, 1992 -$50 |
Gary Slater, Mission

In support of the Dr.
R.E.M. Lee Founda-
tion efforts to obtain a
CT Scanner for Mills
Memorial Hospital

Terrace Review — April 3, 1992