Shirley Rae Aleshire

Shirley married her late husband of 65 years, Herbert Eugene "Gene" Aleshire, on October 22, 1950, when she was 15 years old. Gene made her breakfast every day, and together they traveled via motorhome all over the U.S., including Alaska and Western Canada. Each summer they went camping and huckleberry picking. They bought a house in Gresham, Oregon, in 1962 and made it their home. Together, they shared four children, three grandchildren, and several beloved dogs.

Shirley enjoyed gardening, crocheting, knitting, and quilting. She proudly earned her Master of Arts in Education from Portland State University and spent many years teaching elementary special education in Portland Public Schools and surrounding districts. Although Shirley loved traveling, she was initially frightened to fly until her mid-80s, when she took a scenic private plane ride around Mt. Hood and had the time of her life.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brother, Allen Gilman, and two sons, Herbert and Mark Aleshire. She is survived by her sister, Dorothy Carr; her son, Anthony Aleshire; her daughter, Mary Aleshire-Jones; three grandchildren, Tony Callies, Katie Callies, and Mel Thimm; a great-grandson, Lukas Callies; and several nieces and nephews.

Shirley was a uniquely witty, loving, and generous soul; as a mother and grandmother, she left an indelible mark on our hearts and will be missed beyond measure.