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Maria Jelinek posted a condolence
Monday, June 21, 2010
George, we are sorry to hear about the passing of your mother. Our thoughts are with you, Nori, and the boys during this difficult time. Maria and Gord
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Thomas F. Smith posted a condolence
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Remembering Shirley Siegwart-Ayer TEMC’s historian by Thom Smith Former member of the TEMC Board 2010 marks the centennial of Timothy Eaton Memorial Church. Friday June 11th a dedicated member has past on. I had the privilege to know Shirley when she wrote a historic commentary for the 1988 TEMC Photo Directory, a book I co-ordinated for the church, as a board member. Shirley will be fondly remembered for her earlier book, The Great Church In Action 1977, the history of The Timothy Eaton Memorial Church. Mrs. Siegwart-Ayer had a background from Newsweek Magazine in New York City when she came to the Timothy Eaton Memorial Church. With an idea of putting together the history of the church, she was faced with a formidable task. The only histories of the church had been done by the former department store Eaton’s for publicity purposes. The original construction plans, dedication pictures, the second sanctuary plans, and event albums were held in the vaults of the T. Eaton Company Archives. The rest of the story was in church cupboards, the closed transepts, drawers, and church member’s homes. No one person had ever brought the story of the church into one book, until Shirley Siegwart-Ayer started the search for the Church on the Hill. TEMC has an exciting history. Shirley was proud of her church, and enjoyed the formidable task of researching Eaton Memorial. Many outside looking in presumed that the church was just an extension of the Eaton store empire. Anyone on the inside knew it was a lot more than that. The congregation had been fortunate to have the facilities, thanks the generous gifts of the Eaton family. Shirley’s viewpoint for the book was the purpose of the church, the Christian ministry of the congregation. Each of the chapters related to the terms of each of the senior ministers and outreach that the faithful members during that period. In the 1970’s some of the original members were still living and able to tell of their time with the church. She was able to draw on the early planning of the church, through the Great War, the Depression, Lady Eaton’s decision to have an “Anglican like” sanctuary, the Second World War, and the post war boom. Timothy Eaton Memorial Church was, has, and is one of the most active churches in Canada, with an outstanding community outreach. The Great Church in Action was a huge success. For the first time there was a book about the church. Shirley Ayer would be the guest speaker at many events and radio talk shows about the historic Timothy Eaton Memorial Church. The book also brought the historic records within the church together into what would become TEMC’s Archives. Located in a space not known to many, the west transept, in an area off the west balcony that had been closed off when the church was renovated 1938. Later the records would be relocated to the east transept to be closer to the administration floor in the auditorium. In 1985 I started work on the photo directory that would include many of the pictures that had come forward after Mrs. Siegwart-Ayers book. Shirley agreed to serve as the historian for the directory. We were joined by Doris Fennel, and Tim Fallis. It was at this time that the church records from Eaton’s would be transferred to TEMC. This included the silver trowel that Margaret Eaton, Timothy Eaton’s widow used to lay the corner stone. Many of the albums, and plaques kept by the Eaton family were given to the church. Shirley was instrumental getting the scroll of dedication given to Mr. and Mrs. John David Eaton be hung in the auditorium. Eve Davidson, the administrator of the day would arrange to have it framed. Shirley Siegwart-Ayer was a faithful Christian. She was dedicated to her church, The Timothy Eaton Memorial 230 St. Clair Avenue West. Authors have legacies; many will have the opportunity to read about the saints that came before us thanks to Shirley. She will be missed. Thomas F. Smith Suite 104 – 1545 Ouellette Avenue Windsor Ontario N8X 1K6
