A Place for us to remember our beloved members of our congregation who have passed on.
It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of Mary at Hospice Wellington on Sunday, December 6, 2020, in her 69th year, after a courageous nine-year battle with cancer. Mary will be greatly missed by her best friend and husband George of 50 plus years and her son David (Shayne). Beloved daughter of Doreen Metcalf and predeceased by her father, Albert Metcalf (2007). She held a special place in the hearts of her grandchildren, Matthew and Kate as well as her niece Kyleigh. Loved by her sisters Karen Metcalf and Ruth Russell (Tom, deceased) and her brother David (Barb). Predeceased by her big sister Cathy Kennedy (Steve deceased). She will be fondly remembered by many nieces, nephews, friends and her cherished church family at Three Willows United Church. Mary will be sadly missed by her forever friends Louise Comtois and Bonnie Raso. Mary graduated from John F. Ross in the early 70s. She began her travels with George moving to Sarnia, Winnipeg, Vancouver and returning to Guelph in 1988. She had a passion for working in the health industry and in educational settings. She believed in continuous learning and was always taking courses or attending seminars. She was employed by the University of Guelph in the Department of Population Medicine. Her interest in the United Church began in May 2000. She attended courses at the Atlantic School of Theology, which peaked her interest more. She attended a program at the Centre for Christian Studies in Winnipeg and decided to continue with the Diploma in Diaconal Ministries. The courses were completed part time over 5 years as she continued to work full time at the OVC. Some of her field placements were the Adult Drop-in Centre, Global Exposure Experience in Costa Rico & Panama and as a team member at Five Oaks. Mary received her diploma in 2011 and was commissioned to ministry in 2014 with her first call at Three Willows United Church. One of her objectives was to encourage members to use their gifts to do ministry for the community surrounding the church. We wish to thank Dr. Mithoowani and his team at Grand River Cancer Clinic for the exceptional care given to Mary, Dr Issakoff Mellor who helped Mary complete the journey and Hospice Wellington for their compassion. A celebration of life will take place once it is safe to do so. Donations in Memory of Mary can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society, Hospice Wellington or Three Willows United Church. Arrangements entrusted to WALL-CUSTANCE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL, 519-822-0051 / www.wallcustance.com - Condolences can be sent via funeral home website below Mary's notice. A tree will be planted in memory of Mary E. Elliott in the Wall-Custance Memorial Forest.
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Dr. William (Bill) Franklin Shipley passed away on December 28, 2020 in Mississauga, Ontario at the age of 70. He is survived by his wife, Mary-Anne (née Finlay), son Kevin and daughter-in-law Nicole, daughter Karen and son-in-law Justin, and grandsons Eamon and Heath. He is predeceased by his father Clarence W. (Clare) Shipley and mother Jean (née Rickard) Shipley. He was born December 21, 1950 in Sarnia, Ontario, only child to Clare and Jean Shipley.
Bill grew up in Sarnia completing high school while working for his father at the Shipley family pharmacy. He then moved to Toronto where he completed his degree in family medicine at the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine medical school and met and married Mary-Anne.
Belleville, Ontario was originally just a pit stop on Bill and Mary-Anne's honeymoon travels, but during their brief visit they recognized the area's potential for professional and family life, and returned to put down roots. Bill opened his family medical practice soon after arriving in town. He was fully dedicated to his practice and provided his best medical care to his patients in the Belleville and the surrounding communities for over 40 years (having cared for 4 or 5 generations of some local families, and still making house calls), before his own health concerns led to the closure of the practice in 2018. Bill's commitment and dedication to the medical profession, along with his willingness to challenge the status quo and his belief in a better, patient-focused medical profession made him stand out and gain the admiration of his colleagues, both locally and across the country. His decades of professional service were officially recognized when Bill was honoured with a lifetime achievement award by the Ontario Medical Association in 2016 and bestowed with an Honorary lifetime membership by the Canadian Medical Association in 2017.
Outside the office Bill was an active member of Eastminster United Church and enjoyed classical music, historical narratives, Shakespeare, books, and political dialogue. He had firm opinions and enjoyed intelligent debate. He enjoyed sharing his learning and interests with others by telling stories (some longer than others…) and sharing the often-untaught pieces of history or of another interest. Bill had a warm smile and gentle laugh that though not often shared was delightful. He shared with his children a respect and enjoyment for the outdoors. He enjoyed comedies, witty remarks, gentle teasing and puns (lots of puns). He will be missed by his family and colleagues.
Due to current circumstances, there is no scheduled memorial service at this time. In lieu of flowers the family would prefer donations to Eastminster United Church, United Church Gifts of Vision or the Nature Conservancy of Canada. There is a digital remembrance book that can be found at www.rushnellfamilyservices.com