Shirley Virginia Aney

She was born on January 21, 1931, in Taft, California, to Alexander and Lida Porter, who gave her a loving, joyful childhood alongside her older brother, Edward.

Shirley graduated from Fresno State College and later earned Pupil Personnel and Administrative Credentials from UCLA and Los Angeles State. During her time at Fresno State, she was deeply involved in campus life—serving as a song girl, secretary of the Senior Class, and a member of Delta Sigma Epsilon (Delta Zeta). She was also President of Pi Epsilon, a member of Tokalon (an upper-division honorary sorority) and Orchesis, and graduated with High Honors.

While a sophomore at Fresno State, Shirley met the love of her life, Tom Aney, the senior quarterback. They married on July 4, 1952. In 1953, she joined her husband, then Lt. Tom Aney, an all-weather night jet fighter pilot, during his deployment in Okinawa.

Shirley began her teaching career with Pasadena City Schools in Temple City. She also taught in Okinawa and, upon returning to the United States, worked at Cal Tech in Pasadena. She then taught physical education at San Marino High School and La Puente High School before serving as a counselor and administrator in the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District. After 31 years in education, Shirley retired on July 1, 1994.

Above all, Shirley was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She loved and supported her three children and, later, their spouses, children, and grandchildren. She rarely missed a sporting event, recital, or celebration, and she delighted in keeping up with every detail of her family’s lives—cheering them on every step of the way. She never missed a birthday, always singing her beloved version of “Happy Birthday.” Shirley also loved to sew matching outfits for her daughter and later her grandchildren. Her loving and tender heart left an enduring imprint on everyone in her family.

Shirley and Tom were charter members of St. Matthews United Methodist Church, where they shared their deep faith and love of Jesus with others. They were active in the church community, members of the Nifty Fifties, and loved traveling the world together with family and friends.

Shirley is now in the comforting arms of the Lord. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 68 years, Tom, and her brother, Edward Porter. She is survived by two of her three children, Matthew (Tina) Aney and Shelley (David) Sanders. Her son Timothy Aney passed away in 1975. Shirley adored her two grandchildren, Terryn (Austen) Meyer and Timothy (Bethany) Aney, and treasured more than 30 years of memories with them. She also cherished her three great-grandsons, as well as her nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Shirley’s life will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 4, at St. Matthews United Methodist Church, 15653 Newton St, Hacienda Heights, CA 91745. A reception will follow. Please wear red to honor Shirley’s life, as everyone who knew her knew of her deep love for the color red.