MALOWNEY, (Bickle), Sharon "Sherry" / "Bic" Elizabeth

“My heart will always be, in a cottage by the sea.”

Sharon (Sherry / Bic) Elizabeth (Bickle) Malowney was born in 1942 in Bridgewater, NS, and died peacefully on October 21, 2023, in Aurora, ON.

Sharon grew up in Bridgewater with her parents and older brother and where she met schoolmates and teammates, marking the beginning of a lifelong community of cherished friends. She was known for her kindness, dry wit and her athleticism.

After high school, she attended University of New Brunswick, where she graduated with a Phys-Ed Degree, won multiple athletic awards and captained both the women’s basketball and volleyball teams. Her class of pioneering women remained close over the years and continue to gather annually to celebrate their successes, friendship and each other.

Before graduating in 1963, she attended summer courses at Acadia University, where she met her future husband, John Malowney. As the story goes, John had had his eye on Bic for some time. He spotted her in the park and urged his friends to toss a football ever closer. Finally, they threw it into nearby bushes, and Bic rose to help find it. They married, eventually settling in Mississauga, ON, where they raised their three children (Margo Elizabeth, Jay Bickle and Mathew Vernon), and remained happily together until John’s passing in 2011.

Bic was a leader and a do-er. Not satisfied with the lack of women’s sports opportunities in Mississauga at the time, Bic founded and led the Mississauga Ladies Basketball League for 14 years. She supported her children in all their endeavours, from cubs and brownies, to soccer, hockey, football, volleyball, rugby, martial arts, accordion lessons … always finding time to maintain her friendships and balance her own health and activities. Through it all she was also a long-time volunteer for Meals on Wheels and was happily greeted at every visit. Later in life she and John spent winters in Florida, and summers in Muskoka and Nova Scotia. She continued her sports (she was always competitive) and enjoyed golf, skating, curling and walking.

Walking the shores near her cottage and beloved community in Nova Scotia was where her soul thrived.

She didn’t enjoy cooking and was once overheard saying “I don’t care where we eat, as long as I don’t have to shop for it, prepare it, cook it or clean up.” She was committed to having flashlights in every drawer, binoculars near the window and many extra batteries always on hand.

Bic took immense joy in her grandchildren (Jonathan, Amanda, Alyson, Ryan, Eamon and Henry), sharing birthdays, visits, games, events and graduations as regularly and as frequently as possible.

She is survived by her three children and their spouses (Richard, Lauren and Andrea), her six grandchildren, her niece (Christine) and nephews (Greg and David). She is greatly missed by all.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to your local Meals on Wheels (mealsonwheels.ca/donate) or to the Alzheimer Society of Canada (alzheimer.ca/en/research).

Heartfelt thanks to the care workers at Sunrise of Aurora.

A celebration of life for Bic will be held at a later date. To sign Bic’s Book of Memories, please visit www.chattersonfuneralhome.com