Shirley Ann (Belanger) THOMAS 1932 ~ 2016

6/22/1932 ~ 1/7/16

Shirley Thomas might say her job here on Earth was done. She’d run all the “Erins” and “Jillys” on her list, and it was now time for her next big adventure.

Born June 22, 1932, in Seattle, WA, to Alaric and Ellen (Lomas) Belanger, the baby of six spirited siblings, Shirley came into this world with determination and a mischievous glint in her eye. Destined to love hard and laugh often, her feisty nature was the product of good family genes and an inherently good and decent soul. Shirley never had a bad day.

Married in 1961 to Earl William Thomas, her greatest joy was their two daughters, Erin and Jill. Her pride in her girls was unrivaled. Her love for them, boundless. No matter how big or small the accomplishment, those girls knew they’d made mom proud.

Shirley was never stingy with her love. Her bond with son-in-law Tom was unbreakable. Her relationships with her siblings, nieces, nephews, and everyone in-between were equally strong. The generations of kids who came through the doors of the Children’s Clinic of West Seattle knew all too well, you didn’t have to be blood related to be worthy of Nurse Shirley’s love and attention. If you were in the vicinity of her kind heart, you were considered family.

Miss Shirley enjoyed holding court, waving her hands through the air as though playing an imaginary piano, while regaling us with her dry wit and oftentimes jaw-dropping stories. But more than that, she gleaned great pleasure in sitting back and taking in the family and friends who had surrounded her for the precious decades she’d blessed us all with. She was the grand dame of her neighborhood – it was a rare occasion to find her home alone. Kelly and Bob, Darlene and Dan, Julie and Terry, she loved you so!

Shirley is survived by her loving daughters, Erin and Jill, son-in-law Tom, and so many family members, friends, and adoring fans, there isn’t a newspaper or website large enough to name them all. And while she would admonish us with a swipe of those hands for grieving her passing, there are simply no words to describe our loss. Our comfort is knowing we all carry a piece of her joyous spirit inside us. We see it in the mirror every day, and in the mischievous grins of our children, to be passed on for generations to come.

Please join us in celebrating the life of an incomparable and beloved mother, auntie and friend Saturday, January 23, 2016, 1 p.m., at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church; followed by a festival of family, friends, and food at her home. Shirley wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Published in The West Seattle Herald Section of The Westside Weekly January 22, 2016.