Rosemount High School - Dedication Page
In Memory of....
Colleen Sheridan - 63's Grad
Collen was a good friend to all, and was student council president. Her Rosemount history is well documented in the 1963 yearbook. May her memory be eternal. SNIPPER, Colleen Died, age 63, January 23rd, 2010 after a courageous 8 year battle with cancers. Beloved daughter of Josephine Sheridan and the late James Sheridan of Vancouver, B.C.. Adored daughter-in-law of the late Don and Shirley Snipper. Extraordinarily devoted wife to Jon and mother to Sarah. Best possible sister in-law to Chick, Nancy and Heather Snipper. Fabulous aunt to Lanie and Kalen. Much loved by her Vancouver family (uncles, aunt, cousins and their children); and by her husband's extended family (cousins and their children). She will be sorely missed as well by her many friends. A valued and respected Parks Canada employee until retirement. A hostess extraordinaire. Passionate about what she loved, which included the arts, the outdoors, her family and friends, her dog "Buddy", and above all, her beautiful daughter Sarah. Many thanks to the caring staffs at the General Hospital Cancer Wing (5 East) and the Palliative Care Unit at the Elisabeth Bruyere Hospital. There will be a Memorial gathering in honour of Colleen, Sunday, January 31st, 2010 from 12:30 to 3 pm (Eulogy at 1:30 pm) at the Kelly Funeral Home Somerset Chapel, 585 Somerset Street West (Centretown). Refreshments will be served. In lieu of flowers In Memoriam donations to charity of choice or to the COLLEEN SNIPPER MEMORIAL FUND, (helping to support the arts, the needy and the environment) care of the Community Foundation of Ottawa; cards available or for info see www.cfo-fco.ca
Thanks and Best Regards Abdallah Soueidy Class of 1963 |
Colleen Snipper had a honeyed personality that drew people to her as if by magic. The only child of Jo and Jim Sheridan, she had a happy childhood in Vancouver. The warmth, generosity and hospitality characterized by her parents was the code by which she lived. At McGill University in 1965, Colleen met Jon Snipper. The chemistry between them was immediate. They were married in 1971 and settled in Ottawa, where Jon practised law and Colleen joined the civil service. Her first job was as a historical resource planner assessing potential heritage routes for a new federal-provincial program of Parks Canada. On a trip to the Avalon Peninsula investigating its possibilities as a route, she visited the studio of artist George Noseworthy, who was so taken by her that he did a pen sketch of her on the spot and inscribed it, “To Jon, You sure have one wonderful gal!” Colleen eventually became a senior manager at Parks Canada. As a boss, she gave of her time unstintingly and delegated wisely, winning the loyalty and affection of her staff. But a steel core lay beneath her grace and humour. During the acrimonious Public Service strike of 1991, for instance, she was a firebrand on the picket lines and protest marches. She cared passionately about the environment long before it was fashionable, and when her own cottage paradise in the Gatineau Hills was threatened by a proposal to create a nearby regional dump site, her rowdy disruption of a political meeting resulted in the local mayor calling in the police. Her determination and caring were never more evident than in her vigilance and protectiveness after she learned that her daughter Sarah had life-threatening allergies. Colleen had an enormous appetite for life. She had a rollicking laugh and loved to dance. She cooked and baked like a pro. She adored flowers and – though she couldn’t carry a tune – music of all sorts, especially opera. During her first illness and then its recurrence seven years later, she faced pain and, in the last few months, the knowledge of certain death bravely and without complaint. Three weeks before she died, she was transferred to a hospice. With the help of powerful narcotics and the outpouring of love from her family and friends, she continued making plans for the future: to watch the Olympics on television and to be wheelchaired home for lunches in spring by Jon. This was not to be. She died surrounded by loved ones, to the end outward looking and engaged in the lives of others. Elaine Kalman Naves is Colleen’s best friend, and Jon Snipper is Colleen’s husband. QUOTE MONTREAL - In September, my best friend underwent neurosurgery to remove a tumour from her spine. In November, after chemotherapy had failed, she pressed her oncologist for a time span. "We can never be sure," he equivocated. UNQUOTE
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I met Colleen in Grade 10 in Mrs. Arthurs' chem class. She was bright, fun and unaffected. She was also very smart and the next year was elected student council president. My best memory was being her date at Wayne Johnson's party! I lost touch with her and hoped to re-connect some day then found this. I am so sad to see this. Only the other day I was trying to find her on Facebook. She was as fine a person as Elaine says in her eulogy. I'm proud I was friends with Colleen, she was special. Love you, Colleen. John Knight
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