Howard Erle Shirley

(1919 - 2012)

Howard Shirley, a leading

citizen of the San Fernando Valley

for more than 70 years,

passed away of natural causes on

Jan. 22, 2012, at the age of 92.

He is survived by Elizabeth Ada

Shirley, his wife of 65 years; by

his children, James (Maureen)

Shirley and Linda (John) Mattson;

and by four granddaughters

and an additional four greatgrandsons.

An accomplished and successful

businessman, Howard is

best remembered for his extensive

and unstinting community

service. He received dozens of

commendations and awards

from the City and County of Los

Angeles, from the State of California,

and from the Congress

and President of the United

States. He was active in the

United Way, the American Cancer

Society, the March of Dimes,

the Kiwanis Club, the YMCA,

the Boy Scouts, the San Fernando

Valley Industrial Association,

and in the Chambers of Commerce

of Canoga Park, Van

Nuys, and the United Chambers

of Commerce of the San Fernando

Valley. In 1979 Howard received

the Fernando Award for

his outstanding service to the

people of the San Fernando Valley.

Los Angeles Mayor Tom

Bradley delivered the keynote

address at the ceremony.

Howard was an exceptional

athlete while growing up in

South-Central Los Angeles, participating

in track and field

events and golden gloves boxing.

A lifelong outdoorsman, he

spent one summer as a packer in

the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

He pursued architectural

studies at UCLA and USC.

Howard joined the US Army

in 1941 and served in the European

Theater as an anti-aircraft

battery commander. His brigade

went ashore at Omaha Beach,

fought across France, and later

participated in the decisive the

Battle of the Bulge. Following

VE Day, he served as Military

Governor of Stuttgart, Germany.

Before returning to California in

1946, he stopped off in Fort

Wayne, Ind., to marry his sweetheart,

Elizabeth Ada Simpson, a

Red Cross worker he had met in

Germany.

Howard became a successful

building contractor in the 1950s,

erecting many commercial buildings

in the San Fernando Valley

and later throughout Los Angeles

and Ventura Counties. He

was a tireless, hands-on worker

who was trusted and respected

by everyone he dealt with. He

was a founding member and an

elder of the First Presbyterian

Church of Canoga Park, and was

a board member of Valley Presbyterian

Hospital in Van Nuys

for 40 years.

Howard’s last big project was

the construction of the Airtel

Plaza Hotel at Van Nuys Airport

in 1984. As a part-owner of the

hotel, he participated in the

management of the property for

more than 20 years while continuing

with his community service

activities. Howard and Beth

traveled extensively in the 1980s

and 1990s, once circumventing

the globe and crossing Eurasia

via the Trans-Siberian and Chinese

National Railway systems.

In their later years, Howard and

Beth lived in Ventura County in

the rural community of Box Canyon,

on property first purchased

by Howard’s father, Frank Shirley,

in 1927. They helped establish

the Canoga-Owensmouth

Historical Society.

Howard was known and

loved for his friendliness, his

generosity, and his sense of humor.

He will be deeply missed

by all who knew him. Memorial

services will be performed at the

First Presbyterian Church of Canoga

Park, 22103 Vanowen St.,

Canoga Park, at 2 p.m. on Friday,

Jan. 27. Donations in Howard’s

memory may be made to

the Alzheimer’s Foundation

of America.

Arrangements by Gates,

Kingsley & Gates Praiswater

Mortuary, Canoga Park,

818-348-3354.