Sheila (MacKay) Giffen, 86, passed away peacefully in Graceview Residence, Victoria Vale, Nova Scotia, on Monday July 4 ^th , following a lengthy illness. Born at home on April 12 ^th , 1936, in Milford, Hants County, she was the daughter of Harold and Lavina MacKay.  Her twin sister, Shirley, was her lifelong best friend with whom she shared a special bond and loved with all her heart. They and their families spent many wonderful times together over the years.

Sheila loved music. It was an essential part of her life, from the early days of learning to play the violin to her later years taking weekly lessons and playing in a community orchestra. She appreciated many genres of music, from the masters to gospel tunes, to beautiful Celtic jigs and reels. She passed this gift of music on to her children and grandchildren.

At the age of 20, she married Ray Giffen. They spent 57 years together, much of it on the farm in Melvern Square, raising their three girls as well as acres of strawberries. She became a "horse show mom" because of her "horsey" girls and was loved by many of their horse show friends.

Sheila was also a much-loved teacher in the former Melvern Square Elementary School, and later at the Annapolis East Elementary School in Middleton, where she completed a 35-year teaching career. To this day, her former students, as well as their children, fondly remember Mrs. Giffen as their favourite teacher.

As an active, energetic, and caring woman, Sheila spent most of her life doing for others. She surrounded herself with friends and family, which is where she felt most comfortable and loved. She is survived by her three daughters, Cindy (David MacKinnon) (Wolfville), Jill (Dave) Poole (Hillsvale), Karen (Don Balcom) (NIctaux), and grandchildren, Jill (Jay) Kubeck (Connecticut), Andrew (Winnipeg), Ali (Dartmouth), and great-grandson, Asa Kubeck.  Sheila is the youngest of six siblings and is survived by her twin sister Shirley (Charles) Morgan (Florida) and sister, Mary Tannery (California). She was predeceased by her husband, Ray Giffen: brother, Keith (Catherine) MacKay (Dartmouth), and sisters Ruth (Cecil) Day (California), Pauline (Wallie) Burke (Dartmouth), Jean MacKay (Halifax), and brother-in-law, Larry Tannery (California).

There will be a celebration of her life in music followed by a reception to be held at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, August 28, 2022 in Middleton Baptist Church. Rev. Dr. Danny Smith officiating.

Donations in memory may be made to the Middleton Food Bank or to the Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation.

As written in 1 Corinthians 13:13, three things will last forever: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love. This is Sheila's greatest legacy.