Her large family and countless friends will miss her generous, welcoming spirit; she loved hosting friends, family, and anyone needing a welcome in Seattle. She was deeply committed to Democratic and progressive political and social causes, as well as to children and child development, especially less-privileged youth.
Shirley was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1925 to Stuart and Sallie Mae Phillips. Her father’s work required frequent moves, so she grew up in Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Providence, Jersey City, Tampa, and Montclair, New Jersey. She attended Hood College in Frederick, Maryland, becoming her family’s first college graduate.
Shirley then moved back to Montclair, where she met David Fox, a former army captain who had served in the South Pacific. They were married in 1949.
Their first child, Sally, arrived in 1951, quickly followed by David Jr. and Nancy. Soon Shirley was managing a household with three children under the age of three, while being active with David in the church, in the Cosmopolitan Club, and with folk-dancing friends. She also joined P.E.O., a women’s educational organization of which she remained a member for over 60 years.
In 1956, the family moved to New Canaan, Connecticut. There Shirley volunteered in the local congregational church; pursued her passions for sewing, knitting, reading, and bridge; and, with David, helped start a local folk-dance group, the Nutmeg Folk Dancers. Dressing themselves and their kids in full ethnic regalia, they would join friends on regular visits to Folk Dance House in Manhattan.
In 1967, the family moved to Pennington, New Jersey. As the kids starting looking toward college, Shirley began teaching preschool. She ran a Head Start center in inner-city Trenton, New Jersey, and later became teacher/director at the Princeton University League Nursery School.
After completing a master’s degree in special education at Trenton State College, she worked on teams to plan programs for children eligible for special services. In the early 1980s she was hired by the East Windsor Public Schools as a learning-disabilities teacher and consultant, a position she held until she and David moved to Seattle in 1986 to be near their three children.
They quickly launched a life in Seattle and enjoyed new friends, grandchildren, and subscriptions to many performing arts organizations (Shirley was a particular fan of early, chamber, and choral music). They were both active in the University Congregational UCC, and Shirley joined the Women’s University Club and the League of Women Voters.
Shirley and David lived in the View Ridge neighborhood until summer 1999, when they moved to a cottage at Ida Culver House, Broadview. David died in December 1999, just after their 50th wedding anniversary. Shirley continued in the cottage until 2007, when she moved to Horizon House, where she continued to enjoy cultural events, friends old and new, and time with family, especially watching her grandchildren grow.
She is survived by her three children, Sally, David, and Nancy; grandchildren Katie and Nora Allison and Simon Fox; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Shirley’s children wish to express their gratitude for the care she received from the Horizon House staff in her final years. Many of them knew her well and appreciated her radiant smile.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 7, at University Congregational UCC. Donations in her name may be made to the endowment fund at the church.
If you would like to leave a message for the family, you can do so on this website or visit Legacy.com
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