December 12, 1936 – August 21, 2024
Shirley Van Leeuwen (nee Hodgson), beloved wife of Peter Van Leeuwen,
of Foothills County, AB, passed away on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, at
the age of 87 years.
Shirley’s upbringing in rural England helped to mould her strongly
determined and sometimes defiant character, which led her from humble
roots in a Yorkshire mill town to owning and operating a small horse
farm in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains near Calgary. Shirley had
strong vision and learned to advocate for herself early and effectively,
which led her to leave England and build her life here in Canada. Her
vision was rooted in her deep affinity and affection for horses, and led to
her becoming a competitive equestrian, respected riding instructor, and
accomplished horse breeder.
Woodlands Farm near the rural hamlet of De Winton south of Calgary was
Shirley’s home and domain for over half a century, and a destination for
her many equestrian students, collaborators and friends. In recent years
she became known in the community for her talent as a poet, principally
through participation in poetry gatherings at De Winton Community Hall.
Most of Shirley’s poetry expressed the spirit that animated her appreciation
for the natural world and her concern for the future of humanity. Though
she was far more a private person than a community-minded person, she
deeply appreciated the nation she chose to make her home and especially
the province that provided her and her family with boundless opportunity
for prosperity and personal growth.
Shirley wrote a song to commemorate Alberta’s centenary in 2005, with
lyrics that capture the essence of her perspective on the world and her
hopes for the future. Her family shares Shirley’s song here in a spirit of
gratitude, hope and goodwill, as a testament to the spirit of the person we
knew as wife, mother and grandmother.
May spirits such as Shirley Anne Van Leeuwen inspire the future of
community, society and humanity across our planet. In this spirit, for
the benefit of all, we leave you with the heartfelt sentiment that Shirley
expressed when parting company with those she held close to heart.
‘God Bless’.
Alberta Blue
By Shirley Van Leeuwen
De Winton, Alberta, Canada
In clear blue sky sun shines on high
Pure as the mountain rivers flow
Miles of wheat I’ve seen grow fresh and clean
In this beautiful land I know
Alberta Blue, a song of you
Must encompass so much of good
That ’til time stood still I’d be singing with a will
As any Albertan would
The past century holds freedoms key
To peace and brotherhood’s choice
So we’ll build on that and raise the big white hat
In a multilingual voice.
Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with
Shirley’s family at www.MHFH.com.
In living memory of Shirley Van Leeuwen, a tree will be planted in the Ann
& Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes.
