REED,
Shirley
(Maiden Name: Bowen)
The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona
Friday, May 11, 2007
Shirley Bowen Reed, 86, of Phoenix and Payson, passed away on April 28,
2007, following a stroke she suffered in August 2006. Born in Evanston,
Illinois on July 6, 1920, Shirley and her family settled in Prescott,
Arizona in 1926.
She attended Prescott High School, graduating in 1938, and then studied
art in Los Angeles at Chouinard Art Institute and Art Center College of
Design. Shirley married Allen C. Reed, and they both worked in the
illustration department at Lockheed Aircraft during World War II. After
the war, she worked for Columbia Studios as an illustrator. A devoted
mother, Shirley raised her four children while working with her husband
in his advertising agency after moving to Phoenix in 1948.
Also a wonderfully talented artist, Shirley's lifelong passion was
depicting life in the Old West in drawings, watercolors and especially
oil paintings. She illustrated a number of articles for Arizona Highways
magazine. Shirley also had a deep interest in nature and the Arizona
outdoors and loved to hike, explore and collect Indian arrowheads. She
enjoyed spending part of each summer at the family cabin near Payson, a
place she cherished. There she spent countless hours painting, reading,
playing Scrabble, and observing and visiting wildlife.
Shirley was blessed with vigorous good health up until her stroke and
worked at Arizona Art Supply in Phoenix for 32 years before retiring and
moving to northern Arizona at the age of 84.
Survivors include her children, Kris, Greg (Cheryl), Kim, and Brent;
grandchildren, Holly Batsell and Michael Sherwood; step-grandchildren,
Ray Ramella, Roger Ramelia, Rick Ramella, and Rhonda Gutierrez; seven
great-grandchildren; sister Joyce Lugo; many nieces and nephews; former
husband Allen and many friends.
Shirley, our beloved Mom, will remain lovingly remembered and cherished
in our hearts always. Her warm, caring and giving spirit touched so many
lives, A memorial gathering celebrating her life will be May 12, 2007
for family and friends. Please call (480) 540-3339 for details.
Shirley loved animals, so donations in her memory may be made to the
Doris Day Animal League, 2100 L. St. NW, Washington, DC 20037 or online
at www.ddal.org, or to the Payson Humane Society, P.O. Box 242, Payson,
Ariz., 85547.
Arrangements by Messinger Mortuary, Scottsdale, Arizona.
Information provided by survivors.