Shirley Ann Lane age 91 passed away in her home on May 29, 2019.  Shirley was born in Jefferson, Iowa to Forrest and Louise Forbes.  They resided in Cooper, Iowa until Shirley and her mother moved to Portland, Oregon at the beginning of World War II.  Her oldest brother had already moved to the Northwest and her father and other brother followed them to Oregon after finishing bringing in the farm crops.

Shirley attended Grant High school for 2 years.  She played the coronet marching in the Rose Festival as part of the school’s marching band. She graduated from Lincoln High School.

The first year Robert and Shirley were married, they started a tradition on Christmas Eve.  Robert read “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” and Shirley loved hearing the reading.  Every year after that, Shirley and Robert shared this Christmas Eve tradition with their children and then grandchildren.  This was a tradition that Shirley continued after Robert’s passing with all of her family using a recording Robert made.

Several years after Robert passed away, Shirley met Don Littrell.  He was her partner for about 21 years.  During that time, they did a lot of traveling.  Don surprised Shirley with a trip to Hawaii for her 74^th birthday.  They also did a cruise through the Panama Canal.  Both Shirley and Don were very involved with the Elks doing volunteer work as well as participating lodge functions.  Don’s daughter (Linda) and her family (Kendra and Sarah) became part of the family.

Shirley loved her family and was always there when needed.  This included being with her daughters or granddaughters when they gave to birth, sitting with them for a surgery, helping to care for a grandchild or great grandchild.  She was always there offering to take away her loved one’s pain.  She cared for Robert through his long struggle with cancer and Don with his dementia.  She was very strong and independent who was loved and admired by her family and all of her friends.  Many called her Mom or Grandma even though they were not related.  Shirley loved each and every one of them.

She is survived by three of her children: Linda, Pamela, and Mark, grandchildren: Michelle, Katrina, Kelle, Eric, and Ryan, and great grandchildren: Danielle, Kris, Jason, Camryn, Kasey, Justin, and Coryn.