Shirley Mae Forsgren

Shirley Mae Forsgren, 94, of Lynnwood, WA died February 1, 2026. She was born on June 10, 1931, to Pearl Margaret Falnes and Nels Richard Forsgren in Seattle, WA, an only child of Norwegian and Swedish heritage. Shirley was a strong independent woman with many interests and friends.

She lived in Snohomish County for most of her life, with notable exceptions in Alaska and Hawaii. At age four, Shirley and Pearl went north to Deering, Alaska to join Richard whose family owned Forsgren Dredging Company, a placer gold mining operation. At age six they returned to Everett so Shirley could begin school.

As a teenager Shirley showed her beloved horse “Ginger” in many competitions. Shirley graduated from Everett High School in 1949 and studied at Washington State University under an animal husbandry scholarship, and at Everett Community College. In 1950, she operated Forgie’s Shake Shack in Everett.

In 1953 she made her first trip to Honolulu to visit a family friend. This started her love affair with Hawaii, especially Lahaina and Kaanapali, and with the water in general. She visited and lived there, often with her best friend, Donna Sonnenberg. In 1956, a highlight was joining the crew of a large sailing schooner, Dwyn Wen, for a portion of a five-month trip around the South Pacific. When she settled in Edmonds, WA, she sailed her own boat, Kaino, on Puget Sound, and while working in Seattle she would often make time for early-morning water-skiing on Lake Washington before work.

In 1964 Shirley found her calling when she began working at the Prosthetics Research Study in Seattle where she worked for almost 35 years. She became the ace administrator for Dr. Ernest Burgess, M.D. and later in 1998 co-founded and was executive director of Prosthetics Outreach Foundation. Dr. Burgess was a leader in developing modern prosthetics for amputees. She made many trips to the Prosthetic Research Center in Hanoi, Vietnam, helping restore mobility to victims of landmines. She had a great fondness for the patients they served and made many friends through her work there. She was also on the advisory board for Peace Trees, Vietnam, and on the board of directors for Kids First, Vietnam. Her last visit to Vietnam was in 2006.

Shirley resided in her Edmonds home with a view of the water for almost 50 years. She was a master organizer and kept a beautiful home, with souvenirs of her travels, photographs, and paintings done by her mother Pearl. Shirley loved to travel and in addition to her many Vietnam trips, she traveled to Japan, Kenya, Italy, Greece, Peru, Mexico, and others. She also loved the mountains and was an avid hiker. Over 15 years, every summer, she and Donna and close friend Art Stamey hiked to Robin & Tuck in the North Cascades, often joined by other friends. They enjoyed competing as to who had the latest and greatest gadget to use at the campsite, and Shirley relished the challenge. Retreats to Holden Village near Lake Chelan were always a highlight.

She adored her dog Bridgette and loved reading, Asian food, cheering on the Seattle Storm, fireworks, cashmere, and dressing up as Santa.

She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynnwood for 64 years, was a regular churchgoer and an active participant on many committees, taught preschoolers in Sunday School, and never missed an organ concert. Her love and enthusiasm for life were contagious, and she and her hugs will be greatly missed.

Shirley is survived by her cousins Sandra Konikson and Lynda Draglund.

Memorial service will be Saturday, March 7, 2026, 1:30 pm, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 6215 196th St SW, Lynnwood, WA 98036. Reception following.

Gifts in her memory may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church Music Ministry or Holden Village.

To livestream Shirley’s Memorial, here is the link:

https://youtube.com/live/YFFyIjwLRGg?feature=share

This will be valid the day of the memorial and available to be watched at any point in the future.