Shirley Ann Horton

Shirley was born in Chicago, Illinois on December 3, 1933. Her parents were Bert and Jeanne Stewart. At age 7, Shirley and her family moved to French Camp, CA. Shirley attended Manteca High School and Stockton College. While attending Stockton College, she began working for John Breuner Furniture Company and later for EPCON outdoor advertising and sign company.

April 17, 1955, she married Earl Arthur (Doug) Horton. They had met at the wedding of mutual friends, Joan and Arthur Carey.

After the birth of her first child she became a stay-at-home mom and returned to work when all four children were in school. Shirley was active in Parent Teachers Association and received three Honorary Life Membership Awards. She served as a Camp Fire Girls leader for 5 years and was active on the Planning Council for Central Valley Council of Camp Fire Girls. Shirley joined Beta Sigma Phi sorority in 1960 and was active until her death. She was honored as Woman of The Year. Shirley served on the board for the Center for The Blind for two years. She actively campaigned against the creation of a card room on the corner of Inglewood Ave. and Benjamin Holt which was defeated and following that, continued to work toward the establishment of the Margaret Troke Library that serves North Stockton. Shirley returned San Joaquin Delta College (formerly Stockton College) to receive her Associate of Arts degree and continued her education at California State Stanislaus. Shirley went to work for Stockton Unified School District as an account clerk, then elementary school secretary for 25 years. Shirley was a volunteer at the Asparagus Festival from the inception when they sold drinks off from card table through the years in downtown Stockton.

Upon retirement, she was encouraged to return to work as a long-term substitute, which she did for 16 years. She said that was her play money to travel, including travel to England, Ireland, Italy, Canada, Mexico and 90% of the United States. In addition to travel as a hobby, her goal was to read book a week was fulfilled for many years. Live theater was a big love of her life, including Music Circus, plays in San Francisco as well as Broadway. Shirley was a foot lighter for Stockton Civic Theater. One of highlights of her bucket list was trip to Alaska, where with a group headed north of Fairbanks, to the Arctic Circle. Based on latitude, longitude and earth's tilt, she took a picture on the top of the world.

Shirley is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Doug and her brother, Richard, Brother and Sister-in-law Itch and Naomi Horton. She leaves children, Christopher Horton, Eric Horton (Beth), Jeanine Grillo (Tim) and Julie Ann Goodwin (Jeff) and grandchildren Salvatore and Lauren Grillo and Alice Horton. She is survived by nieces Elizabeth Black (Robert), Nancy Stewart Wilhelm (Dave), Karlyn McCants and Kellie Kijanka (Brian), sister in law Bonnie Stewart, and several nieces and nephews.