Noteworthy

The late Shirley Alison Beatty’s passion for the arts led her to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history. In 1951, she graduated from the University of Toronto’s Department of Art and Archaeology.

The United Church of Canada acknowledged her talents and hired her into their Communications Unit, where she worked as an assistant director and a film editor. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, she travelled to Asia and Africa for work. Shirley’s friends recall how she spoke nostalgically of her time in Seoul, South Korea.   

She married the love of her life, William (Bill) Roberts Beatty, on October 1, 1968. Bill and Shirley did everything together and were inseparable until Bill’s passing in August 2010.

The arts were a lifelong passion for Shirley. She supported her favourite arts charities, including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Canada’s National Ballet School, and The Royal Conservatory of Music, throughout her life. TSO staff members recall a patron full of charm, warmth, and a sense of humour when they encountered her in the Maestro’s Club Lounge when she attended concerts before she passed away in October 2021. Friends and family remember a loved one who was a great listener, intrepid, and full of wit, with many stories to tell. 

It was not surprising that Shirley remembered in her will the charities that she supported in her lifetime. Both she and Bill had a strong and enduring commitment to the causes that were important to them, especially the arts. As her good friend Peter Phillips recalls, “Shirley often talked about TSO concerts. More than that, she talked about the great seats, wonderful service, and the nice people.” Peter says that Shirley took many friends to TSO concerts because “the TSO had a real place in her life and in her heart.”

Shirley left a very generous bequest to the TSO in her estate plan. On January 26, 2024, her friends, including Peter and his family, as well as Michael and Sylvia Reynolds, attended a concert dedicated to Shirley’s generosity. It was a night devoted to celebrating and reminiscing about a wonderful and thoughtful friend and donor.  

If you have already included the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in your will or estate plan, or if you would like suggested wording for your will, please contact Emelita Ervin at eervin@TSO.CA or 416.595.4259.