Shirley Anne Cockburn

In Loving Memory of Shirley Cockburn
(née Shirley Anne Smith)
1930 – 2025

With a heavy heart, we announce the passing of Shirley Cockburn, a devoted mother, grandmother, and friend, who passed away peacefully on July 22, 2025, in Milton, Ontario, at the age of 95.

Shirley was born in Rochester, New York, in 1930 to Sydney Smith and Laura Dunn, the youngest of six children. After the early loss of her mother, she was lovingly raised by her grandparents when the family returned to Canada. She then lived with a relative’s family in Omemee (and later Barrie) where she formed a lifelong bond with their children, Paul and Glenn Swain which she treated as brothers.

In 1951, Shirley married William Lloyd Goheen, and together they raised three sons. After Lloyd’s passing in 1967, she continued to nurture and guide her family through life’s changes with strength and love. Later, with her second husband, Ray Cockburn, Shirley co-managed the Kee to Bala, helping to build it into a beloved Muskoka landmark. After selling the Kee in the early 1970s, the family returned to Barrie and continued to contribute to the local community through several business ventures.

Shirley had a deep appreciation for nature and was a committed supporter of the Canadian Wildlife Federation. She was also passionate about cooking—collecting thousands of recipes and creating many of her own. But above all, Shirley’s greatest joy came from being a mother, always deeply involved in the lives of her sons.

She is lovingly remembered by her sons Gregory (Natalia), Geoffrey, and Christopher; her cherished granddaughter Jessica; her step sons Ray Coburn, Brian (Donna) Coburn; Natalia’s daughter’s family Talia, Jared and baby Ethan; and many nieces, nephews, and extended family members. Her memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew her.

A graveside service will be held at Barrie Union Cemetery on Friday, August 29, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.