Shirley Sue Creviston

Shirley was born in El Paso, Texas, on July 2, 1946, to Jennie and John McGaw Sr. She grew up in the small town of Mesilla, N.M., outside of Las Cruces. After losing her mother at the age of 10, she went to live with her beloved Aunt Lupe “Tuti.” Upon graduating from Las Cruces High School in 1964, she worked as a secretary and became a technical secretary for NASA at the White Sands Missile Range.

Shirley met her husband John Creviston in 1969 in Alamogordo, N.M., when John was stationed at Holloman Air Force Base. Shirley moved to California when John was discharged from the Air Force in 1970, and they were married on May 20, 1970.

They moved to Cerritos in 1971 where they lived for 32 years. Their one and only daughter, Stacy, was born in 1973. Shirley was a devoted and beloved mom to Stacy, a dedicated school volunteer, a Girl Scout and gymnastics mom, and always active in Stacy’s education and activities. She loved to cook and bake and always made holidays extra special for all.

Shirley worked for General Mills as a sales merchandiser for over 20 years. Upon retiring in 2003, Shirley and John moved to Banning, where Shirley spent the last 21 years of her life as a member of the Sun Lakes community. Shirley and John enjoyed their retirement golfing in the early years, traveling and visiting their daughter, son-in-law and two beloved grandchildren in Northern California as often as possible.

Before her Frontotemporal Dementia diagnosis around 2018, Shirley was an avid reader, cook and baker. She enjoyed collecting new recipes to try and tending to her yard and garden. Shirley found joy in genealogy, having spent many years researching and recording her Bernal and McGaw family histories. She was a volunteer at the Hemet Genealogical Society for about 15 years, with terms as both membership chairman and vice president during these years. Shirley was a member of the Sun Lakes’ Happy Cookers, Garden Club and Lady Niners over the years.

Her grandchildren will remember her love of jigsaw puzzles, which they would work on with her, as well as play Solitaire and Words-with-Friends on her iPad, and watch the TV show “Monk.”

Shirley’s family will be forever grateful to the wonderful and loving in-home caregiver who took care of Shirley for her last 10 months before her passing.

Shirley is survived by her husband John Creviston; her daughter Stacy Creviston; son-in-law Michael Fong; grandson Aiden Fong; granddaughter Rylee Fong; her brother John McGaw Jr.; sister-in-law Sostella McGaw; nieces Patricia Radosevich, Valorie McGaw-Bulger, Kathi McGaw and Melissa McGaw; and her cousin Nancy Dixon.

Shirley was preceded in death by her mother Jennie Bernal; her father John McGaw Sr.; her aunt Lupe Bernal; uncle George Bernal; her father-in-law John Creviston Sr.; her mother-in-law Emma “Sherry” Creviston; and brother-in-law Fred Creviston.

A private interment for Shirley will be held at Riverside National Cemetery.