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Obituary for Shirley Jean McNeece
Shirley was born in Redlands, California on October 5, 1945 to Eva and Daniel Heath. She spent her childhood years in the greater Los Angeles area, moving to Fresno, CA at about the age of eleven. Studying the violin and viola in school as a youth fostered her love of music which she passed on to her children who each learned to play various musical instruments. After graduating from Roosevelt High School she married Fresno native, Donald Bain McNeece on October 19, 1963. They settled in Coalinga, CA where they raised their three children. Shirley was very involved in school and community activities: teaching Genealogy classes at the local library, as a parent volunteer in elementary schools, participating in PTA including one year as PTA president, over 12 years in various Cub Scout and Boy Scout leadership and volunteer positions; all of these as well as active membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints filled her busy schedule. She loved the youth of the Church and community and spent many years as the youth Seminary teacher dedicating her early mornings to their classes. In 1989 she relocated her service-minded energies to Dixon, CA, quickly getting involved with supporting the local library and working at the local Beacon gas station. She changed jobs and became one of the original workers at the then newly-opened Kragen warehouse on Vaughn Road. She worked there for many years. For a while she was a “stay-at-home” grandma caring for her grandson. Over the last 8 years she has focused on her work at the local Safeway Deli and then at the Safeway Fuel Station greeting the whole world with a smile. She also dedicated time to the Woodland Stake Family History Center assisting people in their efforts to find historical information about their ancestors. In her “spare” time she would gladly teach you to knit or crochet as she loved to crochet afghans, key-chains, and her special home spun cotton snowflakes. As she dealt with failing health, she kept a positive attitude by creating her one of a kind afghans as gifts for friends and associates. Those who met her came to know she loved them without regard to their differing religions, politics, or opinions. She was always ready with her best advice for any of their struggles and had many friends who would call just for her encouraging words. She is survived by her husband, Donald McNeece, their son Dan McNeece and his wife Beverly, their children Clarissa (married to Josh Whiting, with one daughter, Elizabetha), Emily (married to Rod Guerrero, with one daughter, Chloe), Amanda, Catherine, James, and Dallin; their son, Bob McNeece; their daughter, Patricia McNeece (Patty Kelly) and her husband Brian Kelly, and their son, Kevin Kelly. She is also survived by her sister Joyce, and half-brothers Chuck and Larry, but preceded by her brother, Harold. Funeral Services will be held Tuesday April 15, 2014 in the LDS Church at 305 N. Lincoln St. in Dixon, CA. There will be a viewing from 11:00-11:45 am with the memorial service to follow at 12:00 noon in the Chapel. There will also be a short committal service at a shelter site at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery on Midway Road at 1:30 pm. Those wishing to send flowers should have them sent to the LDS church building that morning before the 11am viewing.
The family requests that, instead of flowers, donations be made in Shirley’s honor to either the McNeece family missionary and education fund, to assist Shirley’s grandchildren with their missionary service and education (by sending checks to Patty Kelly at P.O. Box 327, Dixon, CA 95620), or to the local Boy Scout program at the Golden Empire Council. For information or to make online donations visit: www.gec-bsa.org
