Shirley Jean Laurel

Shirley Jean Laurel passed away peacefully on January 23, 2023, in West Sacramento, California.  She is survived by her loving husband, Michael; son, David Laurel (Nathalie); son, Aaron Laurel (Kara Miyeko); and grandchildren, Sophia, Isaac, Mason, and Quinton. Shirley was born on June 18, 1948, to Walter and Susan Warner in Dos Palos, California, where she grew up and graduated from Dos Palos High School.  After high school, Shirley completed business college in Fresno and then moved to the San Francisco area.  Soon after she met Michael Laurel, a student-athlete at the University of San Francisco, and after two years of dating they married on June 14, 1970, in San Francisco.  Shirley and Michael moved to the South Bay after Michael was hired as a teacher by the Fremont Union High School District in Sunnyvale.  They purchased a home in San Jose in 1973, where they lived for the next 34 years.  

After raising their sons and retiring together in 2007, Shirley and Michael moved to a beautiful home on the North Umpqua River in Roseburg, Oregon, where they stayed for the next 11 years.  During that time, they fully enjoyed their retirement while regularly hosting family and friends.  Meanwhile back in California, Shirley and Michael’s sons and daughters-in-law gave her four grandchildren, and inevitably the pull to be closer moved them to West Sacramento.  Shirley spent the last phase of her life being completely immersed in the role of “grandma,” traveling between Sacramento and San Diego for babysitting, cooking, spoiling, attending sports games and practices, and experiencing many memorable times together with her grandchildren.  All the while, Shirley’s greatest love and care was for her husband, Michael, with whom she shared 52 and a half years of marriage. Over the years, Shirley built many deep friendships, including some from her early childhood years.  During her time working in the accounting department at Planned Parenthood Mar Monte in San Jose, she made lifelong friends while also developing her staunch advocacy for women’s rights.  Shirley also worked in catering for over 10 years alongside one of her best friends, Darlene Smith, and their relationship resulted in many other great friendships that Shirley maintained through today.  Shirley also made lasting friendships with those she met through her children’s school, sports, and social activities. She loved hosting and spending time with her family and friends, cooking big meals, decorating and designing, and planning trips, activities, and events, large and small.  She made everyone feel welcome with her warm demeanor and grace, she was a great listener and an even better talker, and she gave sage advice and meaningful support to anyone in need. Shirley will be missed immensely and remembered fondly as a loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother, sister-in-law, aunt, cousin, and friend, and a pillar of support and a shining light of positive influence to everyone she touched. A memorial event to celebrate Shirley’s life and legacy is being arranged. More information to come. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Shirley’s honor to Planned Parenthood.