One thing for certain about Shirley, she lit up every room that she entered, literally and figuratively. In the morning, she would drive around the house and turn the lights on, greeting her friends and getting them ready to start the day. Every night before Shirley went to bed, again, she would drive around the house and turn off all of the lights that were left on. It didn’t matter if people were still in the room, you’d better be prepared for it to get dark! We would say “Hey! I’m still in here!”, which was followed by a giggle and the sound of her wheelchair driving away. She would drive by her friend Karla’s room and peek in on her, making sure she was ready for bed, before turning off that last light by her room. In her own way, it was like she was telling us that she was the only light in the room that we needed.
She was right, she was the light of 4th Avenue. She was bright, cheerful, kind, loving, caring, and warm. She was the “mother hen” of the house and she took that role seriously by always looking out for others. She was a friend to many and loved by everyone that had the privilege of knowing her. We will miss her companionship, her smile, her famous baked goodies, and most importantly, her light. With love, from your friends at 4th Avenue
