Sheila Dresen

September 10, 1937 – March 12, 2022

The family wishes to announce the passing of Sheila Dresen (nee Belton), of Winnipeg.

Sheila was predeceased by her son Warren Dresen in 2018. Sheila is survived by her son, Scott Dresen (Cindee); granddaughter, Aedan Dresen, and grandson Brian Hayward. A private family funeral service will be held to celebrate Sheila’s life.

Born in Neepawa, Manitoba to a school principal father and a registered nurse mother, Sheila grew up in a small community. After high school, she pursued a career in nursing attending the University of Winnipeg (United College), University of Manitoba, University of Toronto, University of Wisconsin, and the University of Illinois-Chicago where she obtained her Ph.D. Earning seven degrees, her family often teased her about being a professional student.

In between her education she traveled Europe, met an American soldier while hitchhiking in Germany, got married, moved to Madison, Wisconsin, and raised her two sons Scott and Warren. She returned to Canada in 1989 and began a journey across the country in various nursing leadership roles in Calgary at Foothills Hospital School of Nursing, University of PEI, University of Windsor, and back to Winnipeg. She then went on to serve as President of the Manitoba Association of Registered Nurses and retired a second time. Then back into nursing leadership at the University of Regina where she finally retired for a third time.

Often describing herself as having “itchy feet”, retirement didn’t mean slowing down for Sheila and she took every opportunity to continue to travel the world and see new places she had not been to before. She traveled on numerous tours to overseas destinations, joined her son Scott and his family on their many travels, visited her friends in Arizona in the winter for a sunshine and warmth break, and spent time with her family and friends in the Winnipeg area.

As the saying goes, “Life is not a destination, but a journey”. Sheila lived life to its fullest and enjoyed her journey through it savoring every moment. In lieu of flowers or cards, donations to Doctors Without Borders is preferred.

MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER, COUSIN, FRIEND, PROFESSOR, TRAVELER!