(nee Thurston)
March 4, 1948 – May 8, 2009
After a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer, Sheila passed away peacefully at home with her family by her side and is now at home with Jesus to join her mother and father, Colin and Irene Thurston, as well as her first grandchild Angel Lee.
Sheila is the beloved wife of Peter Rogers; mother of Lee, Becky and Julie; and grandmother of Jordan, Avery, Jaxson, Skyler, Makayla, and Cruz. Sheila was a vibrant creative force and led an inspiring life filled with energy and enthusiasm which impacted anyone who came into contact with her.
Born in Colchester, England and a graduate of Southend Art College, Sheila immigrated to Canada with husband Peter in 1970 and built a brand new life in Calgary. Sheila loved the raw beauty of Canada which as an artist she expressed over the years in her many paintings and photographs. Sheila was a soccer mom and coach as well as the soccer co-ordinator for Silver Springs Community in the early eighties. Sheila had many gifts and talents and when her family started to grow she went back to school and graduated from the University of Calgary with a Masters Degree in Social Work. From there she became an instructor at Mount Royal College where the students were always vying to be in her class because of her unique teaching style where she employed her art and drama skills. Among her various talents Sheila also worked in Human Resources for Rogers Insurance Ltd for a few years and more recently has been a director. Sheila was also a prolific writer of poems and stories and achieved her lifetime dream of having her book “From Fear To Freedom” published in 2002. Sheila was passionate about the Okanagan Valley where many summers were shared together as a family. This eventually led to her finding her dream summer home in the place she called paradise. More recently Sheila fell in love with the beauty of the Gulf Islands and with Peter acquired a romantic and special home on the waterfront on Salt Spring Island. It is here where she found the inspiration for her more recent artistic works. Sheila had such a strong love, loyalty and protectiveness for her family that will be sadly missed along with her laughter, her vibrancy, her affection and her desire to “always be there”. Sheila had a special bond with her grandchildren who will miss their wonderful “Bumma” and “Dubby”. Sheila had an unwavering faith in God and her love for the Lord shone through her approach to life bringing others to know Him as well.
Sheila will be greatly missed by her family and friends and yet her memory will live on as we know she is now in a better place where she can have no pain.
Funeral Services were held at Centre Street Church Main Campus (3900 – 2nd Street N.E., Calgary, AB) on Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. Forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes in Sheila’s honour may be made directly to the Alberta Cancer Foundation, c/o Tom Baker Cancer Centre, 1331 – 29 Street N.W., Calgary, AB T2N 4N2 Telephone: (403) 521-3433. The family wishes to convey appreciation and gratitude to all the nurses and doctors at the Tom Baker Cancer Clinic as well as her palliative care team and doctor who have been so caring all the way through making it possible for Sheila to remain at home until her passing.
In living memory of Sheila Rogers, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 CENTRE STREET NORTH, CALGARY, AB T2E 2V6 Telephone: 1-800-661-1599.