Shirley Young

Shirley Tuttle Young overcame incredible obstacles to become an incredible woman. She tackled everything she did with determination and courage, never concerning herself with what others thought. She recognized the intrinsic value of every person, treating each one with empathy, respect, and courtesy, no matter who they were. She could strike up a conversation with absolutely anyone and made new friends everywhere she went, often persuading them to assist in her volunteer efforts. She had a strong sense of family and loved her children fiercely, teaching them to be optimistic, productive contributors to society.

Born on August 6, 1937, Shirley Ann was the fifth of fourteen children born to Murrel and June (Hanover) Mills. Like many of her contemporaries, Shirley was not born at a hospital. Her grandmother, Mabel Hanover, delivered her at her own home. Those early years were difficult, and nine of the Mills' children were adopted to other families. When Shirley was seven years old, she and two of her sisters joined the family of Ed and Zelda (Kinney) Kauffman.

Shirley grew up in Mattawan and Vicksburg and spent much of her time as a young girl helping her new mother take care of babies that were orphaned or abandoned during World War II. They would care for up to five newborns at a time until families were found to adopt them. She later became a mother's helper to a neighbor, a single mom with six children. Ironically, the neighbor's maiden name was Tuttle, no relation to Shirley's future husband whom she had not yet met.

These early experiences had an immeasurable impact on the way Shirley chose to live the rest of her life.

In high school, Shirley was athletic, enjoying the camaraderie of working with teammates and the thrill of competition. She decided early on that she wanted to go into business. She cherished the time spent with classmates and thought of them as family. Shirley graduated from Galesburg-Augusta High School with the class of 1955, earning a citizenship award, then from the Leadership Academy and the American Management Association in Michigan. When Shirley was a teenager, her brother Doug married Alice Tuttle. Alice had a brother named Larry, and he and Shirley hit it off. They were married when Shirley was just nineteen, and their first child, Diane, was born the following year. Sadly, Shirley lost her next three babies, but then was delighted and relieved to have a healthy son, Tim. Shirley taught her children directly and by example how to work hard and she was proud of the fact that she managed the household and worked full-time, even though it was an unpopular notion at the time. She wanted the kids to be strong and independent while at the same time assuring them of her love and care. Shirley and Larry were divorced after thirty-four years of marriage.

Shirley began working as a bookkeeper with Security and Michigan National Banks and WBCK radio. She then took advantage of an opportunity to set up a home office, working as the Executive Director of the tri-county area March of Dimes for fifteen years and the eight-county Regional Director for Michigan Easter Seal Society for six years. She involved her children in the business, teaching them both business skills and the value of volunteering to serve others. She was not afraid to take risks and in fact embraced new challenges, stepping out to sell real estate with Century 21 - Troxel Realty, and working with Life Investors Insurance. Shirley became involved in city management as the Downtown Battle Creek Association Director for three years, and decided to further her education, making the move to California and earning a Bachelor's Degree in Chambers of Commerce Leadership from UCLA when she was fifty-five years old. Shirley then had the opportunity to work in California for ten years, serving as the Executive Director for the Alhambra, Lomita and Palmdale Chambers of Commerce, retiring in 1998. She usually sold Avon, Mary Kay, PartyLite candles, or Pre Paid Legal on the side.

Shirley believed that if she saw a need, then it was her duty to meet it. She devoted countless hours to volunteer organizations, always looking for ways to lend a helping hand. She helped with a variety of groups, such as Pride, Inc., the Battle Creek Sausage Festival, the Taste of Battle Creek, the Historical Home Tour, Battle Creek Parade of Homes, the Harper Creek PTA, and the Harper Creek School Board. Over the years, she had been a member of several Methodist churches, and served with the Calhoun County Jail Committee, Leila Follies, Leila Hospital, and as Ambassador for the Battle Creek C of C. She also assisted with the consolidation of Lakeview Township and the city of Battle Creek, and the development of the Binder Park Zoo Camp Program for handicapped children.

Family was Shirley's anchor. For her, family required no bloodlines. Family was made up of the people who were there for you, the people you were there for, no matter what. She went to great lengths to maintain her familial relationships, whether they were biological, adoptive, half-, step, the family she helped who lived next door to her when she was a teenager, or friends she picked up along the way. She knew how painful it was to lose family, and she never wanted anyone to experience it if she could help it. She wanted everyone in the family to know each other and to remain close, organizing annual reunions at Lee Lake for twenty-two years.

Shirley loved music all of her life. She belonged to the Sweet Adelines International, an organization of women singers dedicated to promoting and performing barbershop harmony, for twelve years. She was also a member of the jazz clubs of Santa Clarita and Simi Valley after she moved to California. She had a large record collection and enjoyed square dancing. She had many other hobbies as well, including reading, gardening, and various kinds of needlework.

Shirley loved to travel and made it a priority, saving diligently in order to visit new places and meet new people. The family took camping trips and traveled to Washington D.C., Kentucky, Tennessee, and Florida. It was important to Shirley to keep in touch with relatives so many trips included visits to out-of-state relatives like her flight to Hawaii to visit her sister.

Her employment and involvement in organizations gave her opportunities to travel as well, and she attended seminars for the March of Dimes and Easter Seals and visited locations throughout Michigan with the Sweet Adelines, once joining them for a memorable trip to London, England. She went on some cruises with "foster-mother" Mary and husband, Bob, and finally retired to Arizona, still finding time and energy to return to Michigan for visits.

When Shirley married Bob Young, she found a new life-sharing companion and travel buddy for her remaining nine years. He's been a wonderful addition to the family, ever so helpful and the family thanks him for taking care of Shirley. His daughter, Tanya, loved and provided special care for Shirley when they stayed and Shirley's health began to fail. Tanya shared that Shirley healed her relationship with her dad, gave her extra motherly love, and she was happy to be able to give back.

Shirley used her personal struggles, including battles with diabetes and cancer, as tools, growing stronger and learning from them. Despite her difficulties, she took the time to think of others, making phone calls, sending emails, letters, newspaper clippings or small gifts to let her loved ones know she was thinking of them. She maintained her sarcastic sense of humor, even when she was weak and in pain, and was determined to live and to end life on her own terms. Shirley died at home with her daughter at her side, saddened to leave the people she loved and the life she'd lived so enthusiastically, but hopeful that some legacy would remain. In a letter to Diane in January of 2005, Shirley exhorted her, "Celebrate what I stood for and I will look down and smile." Indeed, her life stood for compassion, for volunteerism, and for perseverance in the face of great difficulty, striving to make the world a better place. She would be pleased to know that her example will continue to spread its influence in ways she could never have imagined.

Shirley died on Sunday, May 29, 2005, in Littlerock, California at the age of 67. Two sisters and two brothers, as well as her biological and adoptive parents, preceded her in death. Surviving are husband, Robert M. Jr., of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and Palmdale, California; two children, Diane Cummins of Battle Creek and Tim Tuttle of Clio, Michigan; stepdaughter, Tanya (Dale) Browning of Littlerock, California; and four grandsons. Also surviving are five sisters, Irene Lorkowski of Detroit, Sandi Sackett of Kalamazoo, Donna Morris of Leeton, Missouri, Charlotte Johnson of Battle Creek, and Colleen LaMieu of Florida; four brothers, Phil Slaughter, Daniel Mills, Dewey Hinds, and Larry Mills, all of Michigan; and her former husband, Larry Tuttle.

Learn more about Shirley, view her Life Story film, and visit with her family and friends at the First Wesleyan Church on Saturday, June 25, where a memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Please visit Shirley's memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you may archive a favorite memory, order flowers, or make a memorial donation to the American Diabetes Association or the American Cancer Society. The family is being assisted by the Today™ Center of Battle Creek (965-7200).