In memory of
Shirley Alice Arbuthnot
June 15, 1930 - June 7, 2026
Shirley Alice (Bailey) Arbuthnot, of Guelph, Ontario, passed peacefully on June 7, 2026, a week before her 96th birthday.
Shirley was born on June 15, 1930, in Toronto, Ontario, to Ruby Ellen (Evans) Bailey and Walter Stanley Bailey. She married William Roy Bradley Arbuthnot in 1949, in a partnership that would last sixty-two years.
Shirley was loved deeply by her husband, Bill; her children, Elaine (Dale), William (deceased), Linda (Rick), Leslee (Bryce) and Jim (Christine); her grandchildren, Geoff (Allie), Sarah, Caitie, Dayna (Danny), Josh (Jill), Ethan and Elliot; and her great-grandchildren, Harrison, William, Clark, Larissa, Charlie, Tilly and CJ. She will always be remembered for her kind nature, her sense of humour and her great curiosity about the world.
Shirley was a lifelong learner who took joy in reading across many disciplines. She loved to write, and for several years, wrote humour and lifestyle columns for The Sovereign newspaper in Guelph. Shirley began university studies in 1980 at the age of fifty and graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Arts in 1986. Always eager to share her love of learning, she went on to teach interest courses at Conestoga College.
Shirley had an adventurous spirit and loved to travel, visiting many countries and regaling friends and family with stories of her journeys. She was also a long-time bridge enthusiast and enjoyed entertaining, gardening, cooking and baking, especially pies.
The family would like to extend a special thank-you to Hospice Wellington, Dr. Graham and all the incredible staff and volunteers, for the outstanding care and comfort that Shirley and her family received in her last days.
As Shirley noted a few days before her passing, “There is a kindness woven through everything.”
A private interment will be held at:
PINE HILLS CEMETERY AND FUNERAL CENTRE
625 Birchmount Road
Scarborough, ON M1K 1R1
Tel: 416-267-8229
In lieu of flowers, donations in Shirley’s memory can be made to Hospice Wellington.
Shirley was born on June 15, 1930, in Toronto, Ontario, to Ruby Ellen (Evans) Bailey and Walter Stanley Bailey. She married William Roy Bradley Arbuthnot in 1949, in a partnership that would last sixty-two years.
Shirley was loved deeply by her husband, Bill; her children, Elaine (Dale), William (deceased), Linda (Rick), Leslee (Bryce) and Jim (Christine); her grandchildren, Geoff (Allie), Sarah, Caitie, Dayna (Danny), Josh (Jill), Ethan and Elliot; and her great-grandchildren, Harrison, William, Clark, Larissa, Charlie, Tilly and CJ. She will always be remembered for her kind nature, her sense of humour and her great curiosity about the world.
Shirley was a lifelong learner who took joy in reading across many disciplines. She loved to write, and for several years, wrote humour and lifestyle columns for The Sovereign newspaper in Guelph. Shirley began university studies in 1980 at the age of fifty and graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Arts in 1986. Always eager to share her love of learning, she went on to teach interest courses at Conestoga College.
Shirley had an adventurous spirit and loved to travel, visiting many countries and regaling friends and family with stories of her journeys. She was also a long-time bridge enthusiast and enjoyed entertaining, gardening, cooking and baking, especially pies.
The family would like to extend a special thank-you to Hospice Wellington, Dr. Graham and all the incredible staff and volunteers, for the outstanding care and comfort that Shirley and her family received in her last days.
As Shirley noted a few days before her passing, “There is a kindness woven through everything.”
A private interment will be held at:
PINE HILLS CEMETERY AND FUNERAL CENTRE
625 Birchmount Road
Scarborough, ON M1K 1R1
Tel: 416-267-8229
In lieu of flowers, donations in Shirley’s memory can be made to Hospice Wellington.
Funeral Details
Show location:
Interment
(The family wishes this to be a private event.)
Pine Hills Cemetery & Funeral Centre
625 Birchmount Road, Toronto, ON, CANADA, M1K 1R1
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Monday, 15 Jun 2026 2:30 PM