So Long, Shirley

People tumble in and out of your life. Some are front and center for awhile, then suddenly disappear. Others hang around in the background, like the scent of lavender – there, but not always top of mind. Shirley Edmiston fell into this second category. 

(photo attribution below)

I found out this week from a mutual friend that Shirley passed away. True to form, she didn't want a fuss made over her passing. No funeral, no hullabaloo, just a quick cremation. Shirley didn't have children, and her two brothers predeceased her – although there are in-laws and nephews and nieces to mourn her loss. But I couldn't let her final departure go by without saying farewell.

I met Shirley when I started working at Sterling (could it possibly be?) over 40 years ago. By that time, she was firmly established as part of the old guard. It took me awhile to get to the real Shirley. She pretty much said exactly what she thought, which was both refreshing and a little intimidating. Over time, I realized she had a heart as big as the state of Texas – but you messed with Shirley at your own peril. If you broke her trust, you were toast.

Thanks to Facebook, I was able to keep up – albeit from a distance – with Shirley's goings-on after she left Sterling in 2016. That's how I knew about the dozens of art classes she took. She posted her work, and it was really good. She did pieces for friends, too. A drawing of Harry and Ilene's beloved dog, Daphne. A painting of a picnic basket for Anne. And she shared several of her tole paintings with Julie (whose husband lived next door to Shirley growing up. Shirley shared a picture of Julie's hubby in a diaper. Cue "It's a Small World.")

I asked a few folks for their favorite memories. Shirley spent a lot of years at Sterling, but what I found really cool was that no one mentioned work stuff. All the memories were of her artwork and the things she did outside of – and after – Sterling.

So, what is my favorite Shirley-girl memory? On the day I gave birth to Joe, Shirley and Terrie came to see us in the hospital. They brought me cake, and Shirley said, "You missed your baby shower." I was so touched that they came all that way. And brought cake. Ever after, Shirley asked how Joe was doing and fussed over him when he came to the office. 

One thing we all agreed on was that Shirley's beloved Butch was there at the Pearly Gates to greet her. She outlived him by 20 years, and she missed him like crazy. Her Facebook page has a lot of old pictures, and her favorite photo of him became her profile picture.

Shirley was one of my most faithful blog followers. If she's reading this now, I hope she approves. 

Rest well, Shirl.

Photo attribution: Mogens Engelund, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons