Annira was born on July 1, 1927 to Elsie and Douglas Sherman, in Duncan, BC. She loved school, her friends and all outdoor activities and after graduation worked in the office of a relative’s lumber company in Youbou, BC.

In 1950, she married Dan Thompson, a police officer stationed in Duncan with the BC Provincial Police, and had 3 children before moving to Royal Roads, Victoria in 1956. While in Victoria, she studied portrait art at the Will Menelaws Studio. Moving to Williams Lake in 1958, she joined the Caribou Arts Society where she met and painted with many well-known Canadian artists, including Sonia Cornwall, Joe Plaskett, Molly Bobak and A. Y. Jackson. Her pastel portraits of local aboriginal people became very popular.  In 1963, her husband was transferred to UBC, where Annira worked in the Bank of Nova Scotia on the corner of Allison Road and University Boulevard, and studied figure drawing at UBC night classes. During this time she exhibited and sold many of her paintings through the Leaf Hill Gallery in Victoria. In 1966, Annira moved to Toronto with her family, where she worked in a Scarborough real estate office and continued to paint consigned portraits. Following a transfer to Ottawa in 1968, Annira studied at the Ottawa Municipal Art Gallery and exhibited at the Public Archives. In 1971, her husband was transferred once again by the RCMP, this time back to Vancouver. Here she studied Chinese brushwork and her paintings changed to watercolours and the more natural world of birds, flowers and butterflies. She also became a member of the Asian Art Society of Vancouver and in 1978, Annira and her daughter, Wendy, toured mainland China with members of the Society.

Annira and Dan travelled to Britain and then to 2-3 countries on the Continent every summer until Dan’s death in 1997. Annira continued to travel and in 1998 went to India and Nepal on a tour arranged by the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia.  She continued to travel at least twice a year to many parts of the world, including Asia, Europe, the United States, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Her last trips were to New Orleans in 2013 and Paris, France in 2014.

Annira had many interests beside art and travel. She enjoyed cinema and was an avid reader of world history and culture, and regularly played mahjong at the Dunbar Community Centre. She was also was an active member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the RCMP Veterans’ Association.

Annira was a very frank and genuine woman, with a true zest for life. She and her husband fell in love at first sight, and had a solid, loving marriage for their 47 years together. Annira completed her life as she lived it, with strength, and with dignity, in the loving arms of her family.

Annira passed away on August 5, 2015, leaving behind her 3 children, Wendy, Bill and Rob (wife Pretricia), 6 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.

Annira is buried next to her beloved husband Dan at Ross Bay Cemetery in Victoria, BC.

McCall’s Funeral Home
www.mccallbros.com

 

Leave Condolence

Type your condolence message into the box below and click "Submit". It may take up to 24 hours for it to appear. Your email address will not be published.

*

Search Website

ESTATE PLANNING SEMINAR