Ann Elizabeth Shelley
Obituary
It is with deep sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our sister, Ann.
Ann was born on the island of Guam in 1951 and was the oldest sister to 5 younger siblings. Because we were a Coast Guard family, Ann spent her childhood in many states and lived in Florida, California, Alaska, Washington, Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia. Our family settled in Santa Cruz in 1967 when Ann was 16. She spent her Junior and Senior year at Holy Cross High School and graduated in 1969 earning the coveted "Betty Crocker Home Economics Award". Shortly after high school Ann went to work for Pacific Bell and retired from there 30 years later. During her employment with the phone company, Ann earned her Bachelor's Degree from the University of San Francisco in 1995, and her Master's Degree from San Jose State in Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in 2003. She also earned certificates in Post Secondary Reading and Learning, and Online Teaching.
After retirement from Pacific Bell, Ann embarked on a second career teaching ESL, which took her to Thailand and China where she trained other ESL teachers. One of the great ironies of Ann's life is that she spent 16 years as a sophomore at Cabrillo College before getting serious about education in her 40's, and she spent her last working years on staff at Cabrillo College and Gavilan College teaching and mentoring a new generation of scholars. An avid knitter, birder and Mah Jong player, she had many other interests. Her home, which she named Rancho Deluxe in Watsonville, was her sanctuary for 38 years. Ann took in several animals that were overlooked for adoption. She volunteered at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Aptos Farmers Market and other non-profits in the area. A mentor, teacher and friend, Ann touched many lives in her time.
Ann was preceded in death by our parents Frank Shelley II and Geraldine Shelley, and our brother Frank Shelley III. She leaves behind her sisters Clare Uhler (Bob), Catherine Barr (Jon), and her brothers Bill Shelley (Curtis), and Matthew Shelley (Chris). She also leaves behind her nieces Therese Shelley (Kevin), Rachel Luehrs (Mark), Josephine Shelley; her nephews Frank Shelley IV (Kari), Edmund Shelley, and Nicholas Barr (Natsumi); her great-nephews Jacob Luehrs, James Shelley and Frank Shelley V, and her great niece Olivia Luehrs. In addition, she leaves behind her beloved dog, Mila. She will be greatly missed.
We will have a Winter Solstice celebration to commemorate Ann's life in Watsonville on Sunday, December 19th from 1-5pm. Please e-mail RSVP and for directions to the location at: solsticeforannshelley@gmail.com.
Published in The Pajaronian · December 3, 2021