Shirley's  sense of humor, creative energy and love of life and family continue on in our hearts. Laughter to the point of tears was something those who were close to her exeperienced many times.
 Being one of Shirley's pets was a guarantee to be spoiled. She never sat in a chair without a cat or dog in her lap. Even the wildlife got spoiled.
  She loved to travel and explore. She could always find the back ways to everywhere.  We called her routes the "bunny trails". 
She loved the water whether it was the cottage at lake Wah Wesh Kesh, Lake Ontario, the Gulf of Mexico or Hideaway lake where she lived for many years.
She made many friends and enjoyed much of her life in her adopted home in Texas but she was always a proud Canadian.
 

Shirley Ruth McAleese ( nee Hefler) passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 29, 2015.  She was 87 years old.
Shirley was born in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada and moved to Tyler Texas in 1962 with her late husband, Jack McAleese and her daughters Anita McAleese (wife of Milt Jarrett) of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and Kathryn McAleese of Bastrop, Texas.  She lived at Hideaway Tx for many years and then relocated to Bastrop Tx in 2010.
Shirley worked as a professional secretary for General Electric for many years.  She had a lifelong love and talent for music and sang with the Sweet Adeline's throughout her life.  She was also a talented seamstress and artist, loved to read, and was always surrounded by her pets.
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, William and Marie Hefler, and siblings Donald Hefler and Kay DeLong, brother-in-laws Bud DeLong,  Bill McAleese and sister-in-law, Helen Hill, all of St Catharines Ontario.
In addition to her daughters, she is survived by her nieces and nephews Linda Kuehnbaum, Sandra McCreary, Tom DeLong, Mary Anne Kormos, Elizabeth Mahoney, Bill McAleese, Jane McAleese, Patricia Storosko, John McAleese, Shiela McLaughlin, Ellen McAleese and her sister-in-law Betty McAleese.
Her remains have been cremated and will soon be returned to St Catharines according to her wishes.