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Shirley Mercer realized she had hit rock bottom with her alcoholism when she was taken unconscious to the Grace Hospital.
Shirley had suffered a badly broken leg and then was hit hard when her parents unexpectedly died within weeks of each other.
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She turned to drink to help her get to sleep. And kept drinking.
For the next 12 years, drinking took over. Until Sept. 23, 1974, when she found herself in the Grace Hospital.
As her family says, “she realized that she had hit rock bottom and prayed that God would release her from the grip of her addiction. She woke up two hours later to discover that her prayer had been answered.”
Shirley never took another drink. And that was over a long time period because she still had more than six decades of life left to live.
“She often recounted that she was born at the old Grace Hospital and reborn at the new Grace Hospital.”
Shirley was six months away from her 100th birthday when she died Nov. 29.
Her parents and older brother, Bob, were born in Ireland and immigrated to Canada in 1923. Shirley was born three years later.
The family said Bob was happy to have a baby sister, telling everyone, “Isn’t she beautiful!”
The love between the pair lasted decades, with each in daily contact, until Bob died at the age of 104 in August just a few weeks before his sister.
Shirley graduated from Gordon Bell High School and went on to get both her Diploma of Education in 1949 and her Bachelor of Education in 1958. In between and after, she was a teacher.
She taught phys ed at first before moving to English and social studies. Shirley enjoyed teaching in junior high and her students would be challenged with memorizing poetry. She would recount that when she bumped into one of her former students as adults, they could still recite the poem they had memorized years before.
Her Christian faith was a big part of her life. She was there when Bethesda Church had its first service in the Bible Institute Building at Westminster Avenue and Furby Street and followed them into their permanent home at Alverstone and Burnell streets. The congregation has been on Grant Avenue since 1962.
Shirley joined the choir, served as president of the Ladies Fellowship for years, and sponsored many children for the Manitoba Pioneer Camp.
“Shirley lived a long, full and courageous life but, in the end, yearned to be with her parents, brother and nephew, and her saviour Jesus Christ. Her many friends and loved ones will miss her fervour and great zest for life.”
Read more about Shirley.
How They Lived
Not too many Winnipeggers — if any — could say they acted on Seinfeld, Frasier and Married with Children, but Kevin Steinberg could.
Kevin, who was 58 when he died Oct. 29, was born and raised here before going to Toronto at 19 to go to the Ryerson Theatre School.
He earned his Equity and ACTRA cards and, after getting a Green Card, he moved to Los Angeles where he soon appeared on those TV shows and others.
Kevin later worked behind the scenes in TV and film before moving back to Winnipeg to continue acting. He later moved to Toronto to join a design firm.
Read more about Kevin.
Lorraine Parks was a nurse who helped patients and animals.
Lorraine, who died Nov. 18 at the age of 79, rose to become head nurse at Misericordia Hospital. She left that career to raise her four kids, but she still helped those in need including helping free a captive orca in Mexico or take in exotic “animals in need.”
Read more about Lorraine.
Ken Nielsen was an award-winning wide receiver with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Ken, who was 83 when he died Nov. 17, won the Most Outstanding Canadian award in 1968, and played from 1965 to 1970.
A neck injury cut short his career and he went on to practice as a dentist here for many years.
Read more about Ken.
Deborah Kernested was a registered nurse who became a writer.
Deborah, who died Nov. 26 at the age of 67, was working as a nurse until moving to Toronto to create the 1st edition of Well Beings, A Guide to Health in Child Care. She is also co-author of the textbook Healthy Foundations in Early Childhood Settings, now in its seventh edition.
She returned to Winnipeg where she worked as a technical writer and medical software developer and later a senior clinical analyst at CancerCare Manitoba.
Read more about Deborah.
All the world’s a stage, but for David Wilson it was at high schools.
David, who was 88 when he died Nov. 24, was serving as a pianist and choir director at daily chapel services while getting his Bachelor of Arts degree, Certificate in Education, and Bachelor of Education at Brandon College in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
He taught at both Harrison and Vincent Massey High Schools in Brandon and became involved in drama productions, directing more than 40 musical productions through the years.
David also founded Mosaic Massy, an annual event which brought world-renowned figures to talk with students including authors Alex Haley (Roots) and W.O. Mitchell (Who Has Seen the Wind), consumer advocate Ralph Nader, and journalists Adrienne Clarkson, Knowlton Nash, and Lloyd Robertson.
Read more about David.
A Life’s Story
Jean Kolodka was known as the polka queen.
That’s because for years Jean, who died in May at 97 years of age, not only used her seamstress skills to create costumes for the Polish Sokol Choir and Dancers, but danced with the dance club.
Jean Kolodka was a loving and devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She died in May at the age of 97. (Supplied)
“She was an integral part of the parents committee in the ’70s and ‘80s… many students wore the costumes Jean sewed and still do to this day,” said Anna-Marie Kulas, a former dance teacher and director of the group.
“Everyone loved Jean. She was always smiling and was friendly with everyone.”
Read more about Jean’s life.
Until next time, I hope you continue to write your own life’s story.
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