Tuesday 8 December 2009

Shyrle Alberta Sandham 1924 - 2009

A toast to my mom, Shyrle!

I am so sad to say she has left us. Saturday morning Dec 5th she passed quietly at the Jubilee hospital. She will be so missed. My dad Peter her husband of 61 years loved her dearly. My mom loved her family so much and would always put everyone else first. My brothers Larry and Jeff and all the grandkids and 2 great grandsons will miss her terribly.

She had a zest for life and enjoyed many different interests and art mediums. She made some amazing clay pieces, she was an accomplished seamstress and even designed her own gowns to go to balls in her younger years. She taught me to sew and made many outfits for me and my dolls too. She adored gardening and studied books and went to courses and spent many happy hours digging in the dirt to create garden rooms full of colour and texture to please all your senses.

She passed on her artistic inclinations to me along with her love of horses and bought me my first horse and supported my equine habits for many years. We spent lots of time just being around the horses and the barn together. She had a wonderful sense of humour and loved to have a good time and her and dad would regularly go to McMorrans to go ballroom dancing with their friends.
I used her university portrait to recreate Mona Mom :) She loved it and I think dad gets a kick out of it too. She has been a huge inspiration in my life in so many ways.

Mom and I and Pogo our basset hound that was the same age as me. Check out mom's stylin shades! Must be 1961 or 2 here.

1948 Peter Sandham marries Shyrle Munro
These are all my mom's siblings 7 sisters and 1 brother and her mom Lily May
Mom was the youngest her brother Larry the oldest and 25 years her senior!


Dad took this in summer of 1945 of her picking peaches. She got a job picking peaches on farm in St Catharines so she could be close to dad in the summer instead of going home and then they both went back to university of Toronto for their last term. So now you know a little of the worlds best mother!

I love you mom!!!

10 comments:

Anonova said...

That was a lovely and heartwarming tribute to your mom, Patti. Been keeping you in my thoughts! Hope everything's going as well as possible right now. *hugs*

Evidence of an Artistic Life said...

Oh, sweetie-I am thinking about you and my heart is with you. Prayers and love-chris p

Lizzie said...

This was a beautiful tribute to your mom Patti. SHe was a beautiful person and has left a great legacy in her children.

tedw said...

I agree - this is a special tribute to your mother and life long friend. I'm keeping you and your family in my thoughts.

Patti G. said...

Patti,
Ooooooooooh I am so sorry you have lost your M <3 M!
I love what you have written about her and the love and happiness in the memories. The pictures are a joy and I know you will miss her always. Please know that I am aching with you and your family and sending soft hugs your way!!!
Love,Patti :(

Patti Sandham said...

Thanks so much to you all for your kind and supportive comments. It touches my heart.

Hugs Patti

Rachelle said...

Patti, I'm so very sorry to hear about the loss of your mom. This is such a beautiful tribute to her. I can feel through your words the love you have for her. The pictures are wonderful! She was a beautiful lady. My heart goes out to you and your family.

Brian K said...

I am so sorry for your loss. My mom passed on a little over 2 years ago.

mergatroid said...

what a wonderful tribute to your Mom Patti! I love the pictures and the stories, they are so great. Moma Mom is perfect. I can picture your Mom smiling as she reads it.
lot of love to you! thinking about you a lot...

rivergardenstudio said...

Winter blessings to you Patti, your mother is beautiful and I can see how beautiful your memories are. i love your tributes, especially the photograph of the bird bath and the reflecting water... my thoughts go out to you and your family. roxanne