Tammy Heather Bickford-Shone

Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends

will leave footprints in your heart.

-Eleanor Roosevelt-

With heavy hearts, the family announces the sudden passing of Tammy Bickford Shone on the morning of May 16th, 2024.  Tammy is lovingly remembered and cherished by her son Jared Bickford Shone and her husband, Emile Shone, her brother Pete, his wife Nancy, their daughter Havana and Aunts, Uncles and Cousins of Bell Island, Nfld.; her in-laws Larry and Laurine Shone and family from Selkirk and Winnipeg, MB; and her many friends and coworkers together with all the families, and students that Tammy supported at Fort Rouge School. Tammy has now joined her parents, Peter and Gladys Bickford whom she missed very much.

Tammy was a proud Newfoundlander and especially of being a “bay man” from Bell Island, an island in Conception Bay. Over the almost 30 years of Tammy living in Winnipeg, she shared many fun stories of life in Canada’s newest province.  Tammy would say she was the first generation Canadian as her parents Gladys Winsor and Peter Bickford both were born on Bell Island prior to Newfoundland joining Confederation.  Tammy loved the rich heritage of her east coast life.  She introduced her prairie family and friends to lobster, mussels and scallops.  If you were a close friend, you enjoyed a delicious Jigs dinner with Tammy and her family on Christmas where she had to have salt beef, rutabagas and of course peas pudding. While she overfed you, she would share the antics of the “Mummers” who visited many a kitchen in Newfoundland. Tammy talked often about her brother Peter and wife Nancy and how they grew up together on Bell Island. She shared about how her father, who was a teacher, built their family home. Her mother Gladys was only a phone call away and she shared many laughs with Tammy. Her Nan was also an important figure in Tammy’s early life as she reminisced often about the time with her. 

Tammy dedicated her early adult life to the military.  She was a Captain and served for a few years as Commanding Officer of the Fort Garry Horse Cadet Corps.  She loved mentoring the young people both in White Horse and in Winnipeg.  She organized many events for all the young people including camping in wintertime in Manitoba.  For us who live here we know you have to be brave to camp in a Manitoba winter.

While in White Horse, Tammy met her friend and future husband Emile Shone. Tammy moved to Winnipeg to start her family with Emile. They loved doing everything together including biking around the city. She shared many stories of their early married life. They purchased their home together in 1998 and did renovations on their home. Tammy loved designing, painting, and decorating their home.  Soon Tammy was decorating a nursery for their beautiful baby boy, Jared.  Above all, Tammy was Jared’s mom. He was her heart and soul. She always said she was checking on her boy. Tammy always had words of encouragement, guidance, love and of lots of hugs for Jared. She made sure that he knew about his Newfoundland roots as well as his paternal roots. Tammy was the ultimate Mom carefully planning and managing her home.  Every aspect of their life was designed with care.  Even Jared’s diaper bag was a carefully planned kit to meet all of his needs. As Jared grew to be the amazing young man that he is, Tammy lovingly called him her “man-child”.

Tammy was very community minded, and as Jared started school, she found herself supporting his school, Faraday Elementary School. Little did she know this would become her life’s work.  Tammy helped to develop proposals to open the first “Family Room” at Faraday Elementary School. She also helped form the first Parent Involvement Committee. Many fun activities were organized for all the families.  She introduced her love of scrapbooking to the parents by purchasing kits and bringing her scrapbooks for the parents to follow. Tammy must have had every scrapbooking tool available. She was loved and admired for her dedication to making the school a welcoming and fun second home for the families. The kids loved following Tammy around the school, and she always had treats for them.  Tammy was surely missed when she left Faraday School.

Over 15 years ago, Tammy joined the staff at Fort Rouge School where she lovingly developed the Family Room. There she offered programming to all the families in the neighbourhood.  The children and the parents all loved her care and support.  There are many stories of how Tammy went out of her way to welcome and support, especially the newcomer families. She helped many parents access training and employment opportunities.  She thoroughly enjoyed all the cultural festivities that she organized with the families.  Tammy had many pictures to share of the painting she did with the families at school. Tammy was treasured and will be missed and lovingly remembered at Fort Rouge School.

Tammy loved her hobbies.  She did all kinds of crafts including scrapbooking, making Christmas wreaths, candles, greeting cards, and little sewing jars for her family and friends.  Tammy was a champion scrapbooker.  She treasured her crickets and an office full of neatly organized containers of scrapbooking supplies. Each year, Tammy went away for the weekend to a hotel where she participated in scrapbooking conferences. Tammy left a legacy for Jared in the scrapbooks including a family tree. She catalogued Jared’s life and left him carefully crafted memories that he will cherish. Tammy was an amazing baker of cakes, cheesecakes, cupcakes. Her cupcakes were a work of art with her amazing piping skills and glitter toppings.  Like her many hobbies, Tammy had a whole baking kit with icing colours, piping tips, cookie cutters. She shared her baking skills with many people including with her friend’s foster family. That was Tammy always sharing, giving and laughing.

Tammy left many footprints in the hearts of her family and her many friends in Winnipeg.

We will miss you, Tammy!