Sheila A. Hellstrom

Sheila Anne Hellstrom (January 15, 1935 – December 7, 2020) was a Canadian Forces officer who became the first woman in the regular force to achieve the rank of brigadier-general in 1987, as well as being the first woman to graduate from Canadian Forces College.

Early life and education Hellstrom was born in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia in 1935. Her father was Albinus Hellstrom, and her mother was Dorothy Hellstrom née Zinck. She was baptized in Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church (ref. Pastor Rick Pryce Zion Church records) and attended Lunenburg County Academy, graduating in 1953. Hellstrom received her entire schooling at the Academy and during most of the years, led her classes. In 1956, she graduated from Mount Allison University with a bachelor of science (B.Sc.), majoring in Biology with a minor in Chemistry.

Military career After graduating, she was promoted to flying officer and served as a station services officer in RCAF Station Gimli, Manitoba. In 1962, she was promoted to flight lieutenant. Hellstrom had a number of postings between 1959 and 1969, serving as a personnel administrations officer in Toronto, Montreal, St. Hubert, North Bay, and Ottawa.

From 1973 to 1974, she attended the Canadian Forces Staff College in Toronto. In 1976, Hellstrom was promoted to lieutenant colonel and worked as a delegate to the Committee on Women in the NATO forces. In March 1988, Hellstorm appeared as a guest on the CBC gameshow Front Page Challenge. For a two year period, from 1987 to 1989, Hellstrom was chair of the Committee on Women in the NATO Forces. Throughout her career, Hellstrom worked for the recruitment and integration of women into the Canadian Forces.

Awards:

Canadian Forces Decoration, 2nd Clasp Special Service Medal, NATO bar Woman of the Year, Zonta Club of Charlottetown (1988) Ottawa Police Services Board Community Service Award (1993) Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal (2002) Commissionaires Long Service Medal and Clasp (2011)

Honorary degree

Retirement In 1990 Hellstrom retired from the regular forces and transferred to the supplementary reserve. She lived in Ottawa and continued to work with the military, as a consultant on gender integration. On December 7, 2020, Hellstrom died in Ottawa.