It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, daughter and friend to many, Shirley May Oliver (Potter). Shirley was born in Digby, Nova Scotia in 1941 and passed away on May 24, 2026 in Kentville, Nova Scotia with her loving son by her side.
Shirley grew up the second of six siblings overlooking the rocky shoreline of the St Mary’s Bay in Plympton, Nova Scotia. From a young age, Shirley found her calling in caring for her younger siblings and solving problems big and small, which naturally led to a lifelong career in the Nursing profession. After graduating from Digby High School in 1959 she went on to attend Saint John General Hospital School of Nursing where she received the Cathedral prize for "greatest influence in elevating spirit of the school" and was awarded a scholarship for post graduate study in nursing teaching and clinical supervision at Dalhousie University. It was there she received her diploma in teaching and later completed her Bachelor of Nursing degree in 1969.
Shirley went on to have a long and distinguished career in the Nursing field for nearly 50 years. She held many roles including Head Nurse of the Emergency Department at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Head Nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at University Hospital in Saskatoon, Nursing Instructor at the School of Nursing in Moncton, and spent many fulfilling years in the later years of her career working as a manager for the Extra-Mural Program in Sackville, New Brunswick.
Shirley met her husband, Jim, in 1973 in a small pub in his hometown of Portmahomack, Scotland, just before he moved abroad. They kept in close contact over the next year before she made the move and joined him on his latest adventure in the small island of Papua New Guinea. They were married there in 1974 and she immersed herself in the diverse culture of the island, taking up work as a Nurse in the local High School. They enjoyed the next few years working and traveling together and eventually returned to Canada where they spent seven years in the province of Saskatchewan, making many friends and great memories along the way. In 1981, they returned to Shirley’s home province of Nova Scotia and their son Andrew was born in 1983. After many years of fulfilling work and travel experiences to all corners of the world, they moved to the village of Dorchester, New Brunswick in 1985 to pursue new work opportunities. Although they may have not known it at the time, Dorchester would become their family home for nearly 40 years where they were welcomed into the community and made many lifelong friendships. Shirley planted roots in both her local community and the healthcare community of southeastern New Brunswick. She had a zest for life and was someone who, once you met her, you could never forget.
After a long and fulfilling career she settled into retirement, making new friends in the community and saying hello to everyone she passed while walking her beloved dogs Roy and Bruce, sometimes several times a day. One of her greatest joys was becoming a grandmother - which she made known to all she spoke to. In the final years of her life, after tragically being diagnosed with dementia, she relocated to Nova Scotia with Jim to be closer to her son and his family. She had an incredible 85 years on this Earth and left a legacy that will not soon be forgotten. We will miss her deeply but have peace in knowing she did not suffer.
Shirley is survived by her loving husband of 52 years, James Oliver, her son Andrew, his wife Brittany and her two grandchildren, Iain and Isla. She is also survived by her sister Patricia Langmaid, her brothers, John Potter, Michael (Lisa) Potter, Dan (Fiona) Potter, former sisters-in-law Patricia Potter and Ann Potter as well as many nieces and nephews. She will also be dearly missed by members of the Oliver clan in Scotland and further abroad. She is predeceased by her parents, Everett Keith Potter and Ruberta Potter, her brother Joseph Potter, sister-in-law Edith Potter and brother-in-law Sidney Langmaid.
Arrangements are under the care and guidance of Jones Funeral Home, 70 Bridge Street, Sackville, NB, (506-364-1300), where her funeral service will be celebrated on Sunday, May 31, 2026 at 2 PM. Burial will take place at a later date.
For those who wish to do so, donations may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.
Sharing of memories and condolences may be sent to the family by visiting the online memorial at www.jonesfuneralhome.ca or through the Jones Funeral Home Facebook Page.