Roni-lil Shapka

On September 26, 2026, an angel who walked among us got her wings.  Roni-lil Shapka, devoted and loving mother, wife, sister and friend to countless others, passed from our world at the too-young age of 56.  Roni’s final weeks were filled with peace and love, with support from her husband Clayton, daughter Zoelle, and close family. 

 

Within the privacy of her family circle, Roni-lil dealt with cancer over many years valiantly and on her own terms.  Roni epitomized what it meant to live life to the fullest.  After yet another year of adventure and accomplishments, imprinting her loveliness on others, and a beautiful spring and summer at the Powell River family cottage she loved so much, Roni’s illness began to catch up with her.  She entered the final phase in Calgary under expert care.  She fought bravely and did not concede.  With Clayton, Zoelle and other close family by her side, Roni-lil’s final weeks in hospital were filled with reminiscing and celebrating an incredible life journey and the many accomplishments of which she was so proud.  Roni was surrounded by care, comfort and love every day, and the joy and love she continued to exude to all around her despite her illness was truly unreal.  We are grateful that Roni-lil remained bright and connected to us until the end, and her passing was peaceful.  We are deeply grateful to her oncologist, Dr. Kahn, and the team at the Arthur Child Cancer Centre for their care, compassion and support.

 

Roni-lil is survived by her beloved daughter Zoelle and husband Clayton, and the Apps family with whom she was close and who loved her immensely (Deborah, George, Darcy, Bradley).  Roni was the youngest in a family of six siblings and she leaves behind her brothers and sisters, whom she loved dearly and was closely bonded with (Maury, Lenore, Wynne, Deedee, and Roger).  Roni was also an incredibly loving “super-aunt” and was deeply involved in the lives and families of her eight nieces and nephews and their children.  Roni was a devoted daughter and was predeceased by her father Bill and mother Muriel (Mert).  Roni-lil had a very special connection to Mert and we are comforted to know they are together again.  Beyond her immediate family, Roni had many aunts, uncles and cousins whom she loved and maintained connections with.

 

Roni-lil’s ability to connect with people was truly remarkable.  She touched and befriended countless people, and the number of those who knew and loved her seems almost endless.  Calgary friendships included Roni-lil’s “goddess” friend group and close friendships in our local community that Roni built and nurtured over many years.  Roni also maintained a strong circle of friends in Powell River, some of whom have been family to us.  She built lovely friendships through Zoelle’s youth soccer teams and more recently through parents of the UBC women’s soccer program in Vancouver where Zoelle currently plays.  Roni also established lasting friendships through her work over the years.  And she maintained special bonds with many childhood friends and teammates from her youth and university years.

 

Roni-lil grew up in competitive sports, following the examples and leadership of her siblings and mother.  She competed at elite levels in gymnastics and volleyball in her younger years.  Later in life, she never hesitated to display her athletic ability, especially while cheerleading at Zoelle’s soccer games.  She was also an avid pickleball player.  Roni obtained a B. Com. degree and went on to fulfilling work in technical recruiting, sales and consulting.  She and Clayton had been together since their early 20s and built a wonderful shared life filled with countless amazing memories, experiences and shared accomplishments.  They welcomed their daughter Zoelle into their world in 2006 and supported her in accomplishing academic and athletic goals of which they have been incredibly proud.  In Zoelle, Roni-lil’s beauty, loveliness, athleticism and competitiveness live on. 

 

Roni-lil and Clayton raised Zoelle in a world full of wonderful experiences and adventures in nature across seasons.  They fell in love with the northern Sunshine Coast, BC, and their land and cottage north of Powell River.  Here the family spent many months immersed in the serenity and natural beauty, adventuring among the ocean and lakes, and sharing beautiful sunsets and memorable times with family and close friends.  In her younger years Roni was an avid scuba diver, subsequently getting Clayton hooked.  In February of this year, after a decades-long hiatus, Roni realized a dream of diving and experiencing incredible marine life with both Zoelle and Clayton on yet another amazing trip. 

 

Our hearts go out to the many family and friends of Roni-lil who are in shock and grieving her passing.  Roni-lil will be especially remembered for her positivity, support, enthusiasm and passion.  We will miss her immensely, but her indelible memory and spirit will remain with us always.

 

A life celebration for Roni-lil will be announced at a later date.

 

In Roni-lil’s name, we are establishing a memorial fund for the UBC Women’s Soccer Program.  Details on this will be provided shortly.

 

A pdf/printable version of Roni-lil’s tribute is available here:  https://tinyurl.com/ronilil-tribute

 

To send a private message to Clayton and Zoelle, please click on the “Memorial Keepers” box below the profile photo