Some of the things I learned from her was her love for sewing, art, but especially cooking. She taught me how to can peaches, make pies with peaches, etc. She had two peach trees in her back yard and at times didn't know what to do with all that fruit! Our family would go to her home every fall to pick them. She was a hard worker and a dedicated wife and mother. She was able to carry a tune and and would teach the girls cute songs. Bianca even wrote a song from a song she learned from her. I also think Bianca got her singing ability from her. She also was a good daughter to her mother Mimi and a nice sister to her brothers. She had no sisters and that is one thing she wished she had. She was the oldest daughter of four children. She married George Van Leeuwen and together they had five children: four boys and one girl: Randy, Craig, Blake, Brad, and Lisa. It was not a big family but enough to have a nice Thanksgiving dinner at the farm in Heber and Sunday dinners at her home. One thing I know for sure, you would never go hungry in that home. She had reserves of a zillion things you could eat for a whole year. She loved to travel as well. We went on one trip to El Salvador, many trips to Mexico where Brad had gone on his mission and many printing conventions.
One of my first Thanksgiving in The US was at her home in Holladay on November of 1980. I remember wanting to give her a nice gift for inviting me to have dinner with her family but had little money in the bank, nevertheless I bought a very nice centerpiece she could used every Christmas. It was beautiful and expensive. I looked at how much money I had and decided to buy it even though I would be left with only $25 in my bank account to spend the whole month of December. El Salvador was at war and the money from my parents had stopped coming but I felt I wanted to give her something nice.
Before that or after I can't remember exactly when, she had been in the hospital so I decided to stay the whole night in there while everyone else was away. I only did that because that is what people do in El Salvador and didn't know in the US is not a tradition. I remember riding the bus to school the next morning after I found out she made it ok through the night, I don't even know if she knew I was even there. At that time I was in love with her son and would have done anything for his mom. At times I feel like Joseph Smith and those pages. He wanted so bad so God granted Joseph his wish like he did with me just to teach him a lesson even though He knew it wasn't meant to be. From 1980 to 2014 = a 33 year friendship. I will miss her. I don't know if she ever liked me all that much but at least she got to know me even in my darkest moments and she knew how much I suffered and felt empathy for me. The last thing she said to me was: "I am very sorry Veronica for what happed to you, how I wish things were they way they used to be." and I said: "it's ok, Shirley I am fine."
Shirley left a wonderful legacy to her chldren, grandchidren and great-grandchildren. She loved telling jokes and had a great sense of humor so I hope they appreciate all those cute jokes she told and remember her as a warm, fun and loving woman of faith. Her family blood line goes as follow:
Randy had Amey and now Amey had Lion.
Craig had William, Jakob and Libbie now William had Reagan
Blake never had any children
Brad had Cristi, Bianca and Mandy and now Cristi had Nixon and Beckett
and Lisa had Travis.
They are all mourning their great loss and at this time how I wish I could hug them too. they were a huge part of my life!
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