Obituary of Anna-Marie Patricia Shepherd

At the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Charlottetown the death occurred with her family by her side of Anna Marie Shepherd (Gillan), at the age of 72.

Beloved wife of 52 years of Stuart Shepherd and the most loving mother to her ‘proudest accomplishments’, her children, Mark and Marla ( Andrew- ‘her favorite son in law’).   She was the adoring and loving Nanny to her granddaughter, Brea, the ‘apple of her eye’. Their bond was one in a million and a treasure to witness.  Anna is also survived by her siblings Rosemary Gillan (Aline), Patrick and Paula Gillan; sister in law Margaret Rankin. Anna-Marie is survived by numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Predeceased by her parents James and Mary (Babe) Gillan; parents in law Wellington and Jane Shepherd, and brothers in law John Shepherd and Iain Rankin. 

Anna had the biggest heart and the wittiest sense of humor and made anyone she met feel loved and like a friend.  Her love of music and sense of rhythm was evident through her days of jiving, co-hosting the Battery Point street dances or the many memories made in her kitchen with friends and music. Many may not know of her love of swimming and her achievement of being one of the youngest to earn her Bronze Medallion in Nova Scotia swimming; an accomplishment she spoke of often. In the mid 1980’s, she opened Marlanna’s dress shop and excelled in ensuring you were ‘the best dressed lady in Charlottetown’.   She later took over Holman’s ladies wear and went on to open the ladies wear chain store, Tabi. Arthritis cut her career short but her keen eye and sense for fashion never weaned.   Her love for her family and her friends will be missed terribly but will continue as her legacy to all of us who were lucky enough to have had her in our lives.

Resting at Hillsboro Funeral Home from where visiting hours will be held Sunday from 2 to 4 pm.  A Funeral Mass will be celebrated from Our Lady of the Assumption Church on Monday at 2:00 pm.  Interment in the parish cemetery. 

Memorial donations may be made online to Arthritis Society or the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation.