Sheila Gerrard 1930 ~ 2012

Sheila Gerrard, age 82, passed away peacefully on April 29th at Rosario Assisted Living in Anacortes, WA surrounded by the love of her family.

Sheila Margaret Hinde was born February 11, 1930 in Stretford, England to Leslie and Ethel Hinde. She had many happy memories of working in her mum and dad’s Fish and Chip shop as a child. At the beginning of World War II, Sheila and her sister Mavis were evacuated to the countryside to avoid the bombing in Manchester. Memories of the war would stay with her for the rest of her life.

In 1953, Sheila met and married Stanley Brian Gerrard. Stan was a jack-of-all-trades with an itch for adventure; he and Sheila lived throughout England and Ireland. In 1962, Sheila, Stan, and their 3 young children left the old world for the new world. Crossing the Atlantic aboard the RMS Saxonia, they arrived in Quebec, Canada on April 17, 1962. There they boarded a train to cross Canada and settled in Vancouver BC. Sheila, Stan, and the kids joined Sheila’s mother Ethel, sister Mavis, and brother Donald who had previously immigrated to Vancouver, Canada.

Sheila and Stan enjoyed living in Vancouver for 4 years. Stan worked at Hooker Chemical Co. and Sheila worked part time at the White Spot. For Sheila, it was a happy life of family and friends. She loved the adventure of living in Canada, camping, crabbing, and experiencing all that North America had to offer.  

In 1966, Stan took a job in San Francisco and the family moved again. This is where Sheila joined her first “Brit” club. She enjoyed life-long friendships from the connections made through the “British American Club” in San Francisco and later the “Tea Cozies” in Portland, Oregon.  

After moving to Portland, Oregon in 1973, Sheila and Stan ‘retired’ to remodel and sell houses. It was a lot of work but they liked the freedom of being their own bosses. After Stan’s death in 1978, Sheila worked as Registrar for Boy Scouts of America. She stayed active in the Tea Cozies and enjoyed traveling back to Canada and England to visit family and friends. In 1998, Sheila retired to Anacortes, WA. She was her grandkid’s favorite ‘GRAN’.

Sheila is survived by daughters Louise [David] Hackett of West Linn, OR and Kim [Craig] Jenssen of Anacortes, WA. Son, Neil [Kathleen] Gerrard of Canby, OR. Grandchildren Graham, Ian and Emma Hackett; Andrew and Rosie Jenssen; and Shane and Katelyn Gerrard. Sister Mavis [Ron] Anderson, White Rock, BC. Sisters in law Daphne Evans, Richmond, BC and Anne Spicer, Nepean, Ontario. Also Stan’s brothers in law Graham Nowell, Clifton Hampden, England and Emrys [Robyn] Evans, Brentwood Bay, BC. And many cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

Sheila was preceded in death by her husband Stan, her parents Ethel and Lesley, brother Donald, and sister in law Barbara Nowell.

In leiu of flowers, please send memorials to the American Cancer Society.

“If I should die, think only this of me:
That there’s some corner of a foreign field that is forever England.”
Rupert Brooke