Howard Thomas Shields passed away in the palliative care suite of the Stettler Hospital on Sunday, March 30, 2025, at the age of eighty-seven when a third bout of cancer finally got the better of him. Howard started and ended his life in the Stettler area but spent most of his life farming in the Great Bend area near Delburne.

He was a truck driver in his early career when he met the love of his life Faye, and the two of them set out to build a farming life together, first renting land then buying his father’s land. Howard was the kind of farmer that learned how to do things by watching it once, and he was the kind of neighbour that other farmers relied upon to help with a milk cow that went down with milk fever, a calf that needed a pull, or a welding repair that needed extra strength.

He loved serving his community as a volunteer fireman, a member of the Elks Lodge, and finding sponsors for the annual Canada Day tractor pull in Delburne. He had been an elder at Great Bend Church of Christ and Trail Boss at Heartland Cowboy Church, and most recently attended the Evangelical Free Church in Erskine. Howard lived a life filled with hard work and friendships. He was surrounded by his family and many friends in the last few days of his life. He is grateful for the grace of Jesus as he enters eternity.

Howard is survived by his wife of sixty five years Faye Shields (née Alice Faye Smith); his son Keith Shields (Maureen), granddaughters, Bethany (Will), Twila, Lauren (Dean), and great grandchildren Jordyn, Aubrey, Clayton, Violet, Kate, Gwyneth, Whitney, and Troy; and his daughter Gail Van Male (Steward), granddaughters, Sarah, Rachel, and Savannah (Kelsey), grandson-in-law Robert, and great grandchildren Emerson, Rylynn, Adalyn, Shylah, and Michelle.

A Celebration of Life was held Saturday, April 12 at 2:00 p.m. in the Delburne Community Hall, Pastor Mark Broadway officiating.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society: https://cancer.ca/en/ways-to-give/in-memory-and-in-honour-donations.

Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed at www.parklandfuneralhome.com

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• Date : 2025-04-15
• Location : (Red Deer) LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED (Red Deer/Blackfalds/Eckville) www.ParklandFuneralHome.com & (Innisfail/Olds/Didsbury/Sundre) www.HeartlandFuneralServices.com