On February 27,2020 Sheila Dierden passed away after a prolonged illness at the age of 86 years. Sheila was the daughter of Dorothy Welch and Charles Francis (Frank) Kearns, author and conservationist. Sheila was born July 31, 1933 in Nelson, British Columbia, where she grew up, with the exception of the war years, during which period her family resided in Macleod, Alberta.
Sheila graduated from Nelson Junior High School in 1947, winning the Justice J. A. Macdonald Scholarship for top academic performance. During her adolescence, Sheila spent prime time with her father on horseback in the mountains.
In high school she was a member of the drama club and the Bomberette basketball team. She was also a contender in track and field sports, and active as a figure skater.
Sheila attended the University of British Columbia from 1950 to 1954, during which time she worked as a reporter for the Vancouver Province newspaper. On graduating with honours in Political Science and Slavonic Studies, she became an officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force. She later also served as an officer in the Royal Canadian Army and then in the Federal Public Service Commission where she was responsible for writing many of the staffing selection standards used to staff Federal Civil Service positions for several decades. She also served in several other Federal departments. In her later career she was a social worker in Vancouver, at Vancouver General Hospital and Royal Ascot Care Centre.
Sheila was predeceased by her parents, her sister Peggy, her husbands: Robert J. Cumming and Michael Dierden. She is survived by her brother, Lionel Kearns (Gerri Sinclair), her cousins Helen Graber ( Al) and Madeleine Kearns, her children: Donald Cumming, Frances Ruvalcaba ( Michael Doherty) Wendy Cumming (Luis Uribe), her grandchildren: Tatiana Ruvalcaba( Moises Alejo Alvarez), Alexi Ruvalcaba, Andreas Ruvalcaba, Nicolas Ruvalcaba, Dugan Uribe, and her great grandchildren: Cruz Alejo, Thiago Alejo and Cristina Catalea Alejo.
Her children express their love and gratitude for her love, care, firm support, and good example throughout their lives and their deep sorrow at her passing.
A prayer service for Sheila will be held at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church on Wednesday, March 11th at 4pm. There will be a funeral Mass, Thursday, March 12th at 11:00am, followed by a reception in the church hall. Location of Holy Name of Jesus Church is 4905 Cambie St., Vancouver ( 33rd and Cambie).
Please pray for the repose of her soul.