LETTER: Algoma University president mourns loss of Shirley Roach

President of Algoma University Asima Vezina has released a statement honouring the life of Elder Shirley Roach, who passed away on Aug. 29.

She described Roach as a close and dear friend.

Vezina encouraged those wishing to help carry on Roach's legacy of helping young people to donate to the Shirley Jane Roach-baa Scholarship, which will be used to provide scholarships to Indigenous students studying through Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig.

The full statement reads as follows:

Those closest to me know this has been a difficult week as I openly shared my sadness at losing such a close and dear friend,  Elder Shirley Jane Roach-baa, Ozawa D’bik Giiziz Ikwe, Mukwa O’Dodem.  It was heartwarming to see the many, many people in our community and across this country joining together, with her beautiful family, to celebrate and share the precious memories and stories of Shirley Roach-baa. I think she must be smiling in response as she begins her journey to the spirit world.  

Shirley-baa was one of the most resilient, spirited and passionate women (Nishinaabe-kwe) I have ever known. She was feisty, she had strong conviction, and given her life experiences with the abuses and trauma of the residential school system and the adversity and challenge she had faced throughout the years, Shirley had a way of drawing us in to learn from her story.  We were drawn to the strong connection she had developed to her spirituality and culture as part of her healing journey, we were drawn to her story of resilience and strength. It was a friendship that many of us, who were so fortunate to have had with her, will cherish for a lifetime.  

Over the many years Shirley took time to share much of her story - an incredible story of resilience from womb, through childhood, adulthood to elder - and through this story she taught the importance, through her own personal healing journey, of knowing your purpose here in this lifetime, searching to deeply understand and know who you are. Shirley taught us to understand that every experience we have while here on this earth has a lesson, a teaching, a purpose; that each experience prepares us for the continued journey we are on and that even if we don’t understand it today, we should place our trust in the Creator. She also taught us the importance of decisions. We control a lot of our own destiny. 

Shirley’s passion for helping young people was evident in all she did - it was a big part of her purpose. I thought it pretty fitting that in lieu of flowers, the Roach family fittingly decided to continue her legacy by setting up a donation fund called The Shirley Jane Roach-baa Scholarship. This fund will be used to provide scholarships to Indigenous students studying programs through Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig in Anishinaabe culture and language studies. Shirley believed we needed to do all we can to reduce barriers for Indigenous students to access higher education. 

For those interested in supporting you can follow the link here to donate electronically. Look for the The Shirley Jane Roach-baa Scholarship link at the top of the listing. 

Here are just a few words from the thousands of posts that found their way to her family this week:  

• “Baamaapii Nokomis Shirley, miigwetch for everything you have done and taught us.”
• “A beautiful soul, a beautiful laugh….I will never forget everything she taught me.”
• “This is difficult news….I had the privilege of working beside Shirley while on the Board at AU. She was a driving force and never once wavered from the vision of a stronger, better and culturally connected education for First Nations near and far! Chi Miigwetch Shirley.”
• “My Sweet Elder, always showed me lots of love and guidance at Algoma U, gizaagin.”

Baamaapii Gaawaabamin Shirley, till we meet again my friend...