Obituary of Sheila Adeney

Sheila Adeney (nee Jarrett)

April 12, 1931 – August 23, 2019

It is with the heaviest of hearts we announce that our beautiful mother Sheila passed August 23 at the age of 88. She was surrounded by family, love, music, poems and stories in her final days and we are grateful that she is now at peace.

She is remembered with much love and fond memories by her children, Brian Adeney (Janet) of Edmonton, Robin Adeney (Bert Pitzel) of Regina and Kim Adeney (Ken Davis) of Markham. Her greatest joy was being grandmother to Laura and David (Adrienne) Adeney; Abby (Andrew Woodward) and Emma Wilson, and Stuart (Jennifer Althouse), Ian (Shantel) and Heather Clark who knew her as Nanoo. Becoming a first-time great-grandmother this year to Rory Clark and Marcus Adeney was icing on the cake!

She leaves a wonderful circle of friends and family and a rich, lasting legacy of love. Her Jarrett family was especially important to her and she was greatly loved by parents Fred and Elsie Jarrett, her late brother Merrick (Mary) Jarrett and loved as Aunt, Great Aunt and Great-Great Aunt Sheila by Linda, Stephen and Kate Jarrett and their families. A recent life miracle was connecting with her birth brothers George (Erika) and Ivan (Marita) Harris who welcomed her into their lives with open arms.  

Sheila lived a magnificent life, full of music, art, adventure, family and friends. She grew up in Toronto, living her childhood in Hogg’s Hollow, attending Branksome Hall girl’s school, enjoying cottage life in Bala and following her love of children to become a teacher. Throughout her life she was known for her extraordinary kind heart, generous spirit, unconditional support for all people in her life and cheery outlook. 

Her adventurous spirit emerges from the choices she made. A highlight of her life was going to Europe at the age of twenty with a group of young women, working their way through England, France, Morocco, Italy and more for a whole year. As a young bride she moved to Nova Scotia, where her family was born and where the salt air seeped into her blood, making it a touchstone for the rest of her life. Moving back to Toronto after ten years, she enjoyed a rich career as a special education teacher with the Toronto District School Board, raised her family and enjoyed a growing circle of friends. She especially enjoyed retirement life in Kitchener where she lived for over 25 years and nurtured her growing “flock of sheep” which she was famous for.  

A Celebration of Life will be held on Monday, September 16 at Dixon-Garland Funeral Home, 166 Main Street N., Markham, at 2 p.m. A reception will follow. Visit https://dixongarland.com/ for details, to view photos and leave comments. Cremation has taken place with private interment planned for a later date. Special thanks for the warm circle of care Mom received at Victoria Place, Woodhaven Long Term Care Residence and Markham Stouffville Hospital. In lieu of flowers, a donation in Mom’s memory can be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada or Alzheimer’s Society. Join us in sending her off on wings of love.