Shirley Jean Quick, my perfect wife of 27 years, was born April 17, 1955 in Cody, Wyoming. Shirley’s mother and father, both also now deceased, were Eunice Hewitt Walker Quick and Custer Harrison (Hap) Quick. Despite serious and reoccurring health problems, Shirley grew up a very happy and optimistic little girl, with Yellowstone Park out her back door and Hart Mountain framed in her bedroom window. After graduation from Cody High in 1973, Shirley embarked on a series of adventures beginning with Powell Community College, followed by a brief stint as a San Diego beach girl, and then a more compatible and lengthy hippy phase in Basin, Montana. Finally a job brought Shirley to Helena where she met and married local artist Jack Jasper in the spring of 1981. Although Jack and Shirley’s marriage ended five years later, they remained friends, most recently keeping in touch via Facebook.
In February 1987 Shirley consented to be my wife, and we married in Cody with her dad as best man. Back in Helena we undertook the renovation of an old Victorian on 5th Avenue where Shirley threw great parties, collected vintage clothing, and created a beautiful backyard garden highlighting her favorite flower, the Iris, ordered each spring in new and increasingly exotic varieties from her favorite suppliers out on the Oregon coast. It was during these 5th Avenue years that Mr. Kitty, Luther, Gracie, Frida and Sophie came to live with us courtesy of the Lewis & Clark Humane Society where Shirley served as a Board member, bringing more love and happiness into our lives than anyone or anything before or since. In her final days, Shirley often dreamed that she and Sophie had been walking in the mountains.
Shirley’s work career began at Husky Oil in Cody, then Boulder River Hospital during her Basin years. Later in Helena she worked for the Credit Bureau, Morrison & Marilee, Private Secretaries, and finally the State of Montana. Beginning as a data entry technician with the Air Quality Bureau at the old Department of Health, Shirley worked her way up through the bureaucracy, retiring for health reasons in 2001 as manager of the Department of Environmental Quality’s Water & Waste Water Certification Program.
After Shirley’s mother’s death, Shirley became her father’s “go to” person for nearly everything, resulting in many late night phone calls and flying overnight trips to Cody and back. But Shirley and her Dad enjoyed one another’s company, resulting in his eventual relocation up to Helena. As a result they became even closer, and when Hap died it left a big hole in Shirley’s heart.
Retirement for us both provided opportunity for one last big adventure, and in mid-2007 we moved to Wichita, Kansas where we bought and renovated a top-floor apartment in an 85 year-old Tudor hi-rise overlooking the city. There, Shirley renewed her life-long love affair with ethnic cooking, organized a liberal women’s book group (no small accomplishment in Bible-belt Kansas) and took up painting. Shirley had always claimed she couldn’t sing or draw—she was absolutely correct about the singing, but surprising no one more than herself, she was a wonderful and naturally talented artist.
During her five years in Wichita she made many new and lasting friends—Lisa Graham, Pat Habkirk, Brad Gordon, Hazel Gordon and Patti Purvis in particular, created beautiful paintings, antiqued her way across the mid-west from Kansas City to the Rockies, and renewed her relationship with her brother Bob and his wife Christie down in Arkansas. And even as a decade of increasingly debilitating back surgeries began to catch up with her, she continued to have fun, tell great stories and entertain everyone she met (including Willie Nelson and David Sedaris) with her sharp wit and quirky sense of humor.
A final, failed 2011 back surgery left Shirley no longer able to travel between Montana and Wichita, and moving back to Helena full time, she found a measure of contentment surrounded by old friends, family, and the mountains and big sky she loved so much.
During her last year, old friends Rick Newby, Liz Gans, Kirby Lambert, Becca Kohl and Bonnie Bowler kept her company and her spirits up.
Shirley died at home on Sunday February 9, 2014, and is survived by her sisters Ginger Hula and Barb Bessler and their families, her brothers Bob, Kenny and Jim Walker and their families, and her husband and best friend, Drew Livesay. In addition to Shirley’s mother and father, she was preceded in death by her brother Larry Walker, and many beloved cats and dogs.
Shirley wanted to especially thank Dr. Alan Weinert and his nurse Kay, Amanda Sather of Home Sweet Home Health Care, Nurse Practitioner Bev Roope, and Brenda Tubbs of St. Peter’s Hospice, for their kindness, understanding and excellent care.
Shirley’s cremains will be interred at the Riverside Cemetery in Cody, Wyoming. A private memorial will be held at a later date. Please send donations to the Lewis and Clark Humane Society, PO Box 4455, Helena MT 59604. Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Shirley.
Shirley was the bravest person I have ever known.
Service Schedule
Services are pending at this time or no services will be held. If available, please see obituary for more information.
Service Schedule
Services are pending at this time or no services will be held. If available, please see obituary for more information.
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Judy Hanson says
Drew, I am so sorry to read about Shirley’s death. She was a fabulous woman. We had a lot of fun at work (DHES & DEQ). Your obituary is beautiful–it captures Shirley’s personality, zest for life and her love for animals and the arts even though she lived with the chronic health and back problems. She will be missed.
Barb Coffman says
Dear Drew,
I too am very sorry to read about Shirley’s death. I enjoyed working with her during her time managing the DEQ Operator certification program. She was a key force in getting the program built up to its active role today in water and wastewater training. My best time with Shirley was in New Orleans for a conference. She was anxious for us to see the sites and enjoy the culture.
Rory Schmidt says
Dear Drew…
So sorry to hear about your loss of a great lady! I enjoyed working with Shirley on the Certification Committee here in Montana. She always made the sometime contentious meetings fun and rewarding at the same time. She always knew how to work with everyone on both sides of an issue. I fondly remember her bringing me bagels to a meeting in Billings, MT and I never knew we had a bagel shop locally to buy them. She always had a smile and I loved working with her; she was a tremendous asset to all the Certified Water and Waste Water Operators in the State of Montana.
Best Wishes to you and her extended family!!!
Gail Edwards says
Dear Drew,
It was our mutual love and concern for animals that first brought Shirley and I together many many years ago. He brilliance in developing the Humane Society newsletter was instrumental in reaching out to so many people. She was tireless in her quest to make this a better world for those who couldn’t speak for themselves. I loved her quick wit and will always remember her fondly. My best to you and all of her family.
Sue Mohr says
Drew, my condolences on your loss. Shirley was so much fun and seeing you last fall brought back the memories of all those years of getting together and partying. What a beautiful obiturary you have written about a beautiful woman. She was lucky to have you during all those years: you were both so suited for each other, it’s not fair that this has happened too too soon. I am so sorry. My love goes out to you…
Sue
Carolyn Knuckles says
Drew, I’m sorry seems such an inadequate response to your loss. Shirley was a unique, strong person; I wish I had known her better. You and Shirley seemed ideally suited to each other – a rarity not often encountered. Both Milt and I send our sympathy on your untimely loss.
Carolyn and Milt Knuckles
Bev Roope says
Drew, I want to thank both you and Shirley for allowing me to be part of your lives. My life is made fuller by each person I encounter and the life they live. Your story is unique and wonderful to see. May she rest peace.
Connie Carson says
My thoughts and prayers are with you and Shirley’s family at this time. I worked with Shirley many, many years ago….in the late 70’s and remembered her smile and wonderful outlook on life. We lost touch over the years, but from her picture and surround by her treasured friends she is as beautiful as ever and I’m blessed to have known her. Rest in peace my friend.
Cathy Quinones says
My thoughts are with you and your family during this time. I had just been thinking of Shirley whom I have not seen in a very long time. I had my first child when I was working for DHES and Shirley was the one to guess the closest time and date of my child’s birth. She said to give the money that was collected to the child. I have just now closed the bank account which contained those funds and given it to the child as he has turned 21 years of age.
Shirley touched so many lives and always brought spice to the life. I am glad to have known her.
Margaret Woo says
Drew,
I was saddened to read about Shirley’s passing. It was a beautiful tribute to her and your wonderful life together. You are lucky to have found each other and to have had the time together that you did. My deepest condolences on your loss.
Colette Friedly Decker says
Dear Drew
I was so sorry to hear the news of Shirley’s passing. Your loving tribute is a beautiful tale of a life wonderfully lived. I first met Shirley when we moved to Cody for a short stint in 4th grade. We became acquainted again when we once again moved from Powell to Cody in the 9th grade. Our families attended the Presbyterian Church so Shirley and I shared time together at Sunday School and Youth Group. Our mothers were dear friends, so when Eunice was failing in health and hospitalized in Billings, I visited her there, which reconnected me to Shirley after several years. I visited her in Helena at your lovely 5th Avenue home and I’m sorry that after that our connection was through Facebook. She was always so happy and positive and did not dwell on her physical limitations – she was an inspiration to all. Hugs to you and the rest of her family. We will be thinking of you.
Dennis Hult says
Drew, I am so sorry to hear of Shirley’s passing. My heartfelt condolences go out to you and your family. The obituary you wrote is a wonderful story of Shirley’s life.
Loretta Reichert says
I am so sorry to hear of Shirley’s passing. She was one of those amazing people who was true to herself in the way she lived life and even when she was in great pain worked to make every day its fullest and best. We worked together at DEQ and when I developed chronic health issues she shared her compassion and humor with me and gave me an amazing model for how to approach this often overwhelming change to my life. Thank you for sharing your life with us, Shirley. Drew and family I am so sorry for your loss.
Bob Morgan says
Drew-
I am so sorry to hear of Shirley’s passing. She was a lovely lady, and I enjoyed so much the times we were able to visit with you two. What a great pair you two made! It was very apparent you enjoyed each other very much. I hope that fond memories will comfort you in the days and months ahead. You will be in my thoughts and in my heart.
Bob
Patty Davidson says
Drew,
I was so very sorry and shocked to hear about Shirley’s death. Shirley and I worked closely together at the Air Quality Bureau. She was great to work with and even more fun to hang out with—so full of life and interested in so many things. You wrote a beautiful story of her life—a life that ended much too soon. I am so sorry for your loss but I am thankful to have been able to spend some time with her.
Valerie and Bob Raisch says
Drew,
We so enjoyed having you and Shirley in our lives when we lived in Helena and Bob worked with her for so many years at the state. We remember her fondly and had such a good time at the party at your lovely home. So sorry that she was taken from you so early in life but rejoice that you had 27 yrs. of love and fun times together and know that God is watching over her till we all can meet again someday. Please accept our deepest sympathy and know that your little angel is always with you. What a lovely tribute your obituary was… rest in peace, Shirley. Bless you, Drew, and may your memories and love bring you comfort and peace. Sincerely, Val and Bob Raisch