Shirley Frances Ortiz

Shirley Frances Ortiz, age 90, of Washington,D.C. passed away at Little Sisters of the Poor in Washington, D.C. on August 27, 2026. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii on September 23, 1935 to Estrellita Soliman Quintana Ortiz and Ariston Ortiz. She was one of eleven children.

She dutifully followed her former military husband, Puncho Bicoy all over the country where he was stationed. She was a retired Registered Nurse working well into her seventies in specialties such as Labor and Delivery, Psychiatric, Geriatric, and near the end of her career, Home Health Care. She would have liked to work even longer, but eventually she reluctantly retired.

She was an avid reader. She was always singing. She would sing or hum anywhere and everywhere. She loved to sew and would make several dresses and outfits for herself and her children. She enjoyed singing, dancing, listening to music, knitting, embroidery, cooking, and baking. She enjoyed spending time with her family, children, and grandchildren. She remained active by doing yoga and working out at the health spas, as they were referred to back in the 1970’s. She learned how to swim later in life and enjoyed doing pool aerobics as well as weightlifting, until her knees and back weakened and she had to undergo spinal surgery. She worked out well into her seventies and early eighties. She also enjoyed watching soap operas, and Hallmark movies. Although she participated in all these activities, she was very quiet and reserved, yet quite observant. At times when you would think she wasn’t watching and listening, she most certainly was.

She was a proud and loving mother of six children she had with her former husband Puncho Bicoy. Her two sons, Don Phillip Bicoy, Michael Daniel Bicoy and her four daughters, Jennifer Joy McNutt, Marie Therese Flanagan, Catherine Rose Graham-Bicoy, and Roseanna Lee Gibbons will all miss her greatly. She was also survived by her sisters Estrellita Green and Veronica Buck. She is preceded in death by her siblings Kenneth Ortiz, Claude Ortiz, Gilbert Ortiz, and Everett Ortiz , from her fathers first marriage to Olivia Magpiong.,Olivia Hirota, Godfrey Ortiz, Gaylord Ortiz, and Doc Adams “ Dukey” Ortiz. Shirley had eight grandchildren and four step grandchildren : Gabriel Bicoy, Chrissy King, Gary Jr. McNutt, Cheri McNutt, and Tracy McNutt, Erin Gibbons, Shannon Furlin, Joshua Flanagan,(deceased) Makana Brind, Kaimana Brind, and Alana and Kiera Bicoy.

A Special Thanks to all her caregivers at Little Sisters of the Poor where she spent and enjoyed the last six years of her life. She loved all of them and was well loved and cared for physically, mentally, and spiritually by the entire staff and community. She considered them not only as her friends but as family. She always would refer to the facility as a resort where she felt very safe and well taken care of.

A private Funeral Mass will be held at the Chapel of Little Sisters of the Poor. In lieu of flowers please donate to Little Sisters of the Poor 4200 Harewood Rd. N.E. Washington, D.C. 20017.