Celebrant Pam Vetter


	Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story...

Shirley Mae O'Brien Katz was born in Vanport, Washington, to her parents, Margerie and Arvel, on March 28th, 1940. Shirley and her family are descended from Daniel Boone and her family founded Longview, Washington. The main street Catlin Street bears the surname of her cousin Fred.

Shirley grew up in Kelso, Washington and her father was a big rig trucker. She had a close knit family and a happy childhood. There are lots of pictures of Shirley with her cousins, aunts, and uncles.

The family moved to California when Shirley was in grade school and settled in Long Beach on Chestnut Street, where she met Darlene, who would become her lifelong friend. They had fun dressing up Darlene's little brother in a dress one time and Shirley dressed her dog Freckles in some of her old clothes she tailored for him. The girls did everything together and they even had a crush on twin boys who lived near them. Shirley always said her twin was cuter.

Shirley's cousin, Dena, has a clear first memory of Shirley when she spent a week with Dena's family, they saw this beautiful girl with brown hair, lovely brown eyes - she was exotic and she had pierced ears. She also was wearing a tiny, petite ankle bracelet and Dena thought that was the coolest thing. It was fun to have her visit because she was 8 years older than Dena, around the age of 17, and she was a California girl.

After Poly High School, Shirley's first marriage took her to Texas, where her husband was in the Air Force at Lackland Air Force Base. While in Texas, Shirley worked at Lube's Restaurant as a Salad Girl.

After the Air Force, the couple returned to California where they had a son whom they named David, but he only lived a few days. Her family claimed for religious reasons she not go to the funeral and David was buried in the San Fernando Valley. It was very difficult for Shirley. The couple soon divorced and Shirley went to live with Darlene, her sons Michael and Jamie, and "Mother Girl," Darlene's Mom. They all lived in a small apartment in Paramount.

Darlene and "Mother Girl" taught Shirley how to use an adding machine and how to type. Then, they helped Shirley get a job in the office at Dr. Scholl's footwear distributing company where Darlene and "Mother Girl" worked.

Maybe it was fate or a miracle, but in 1968, both Shirley and a young man by the name of Allen Katz joined an early computer dating service called "Date Mate." In those days, the only things a match making computer could do was to match similar likes and dislikes. Allen and Shirley shared a lot of "likes" and they started dating. After four months, Allen proposed marriage and Shirley said "Yes!"

The night before the wedding, Allen had Bob Morris and George King to thank for so overindulging him in drink that he was hung over on his wedding day. But, the show must go on and couple was married in Long Beach in a beautiful wedding ceremony on June 22nd, 1968. Then, after returning from their honeymoon, when they drove by that lovely wedding chapel – it had been torn down and replaced by a diving bell selling water sports equipment. The couple honeymooned in Lake Tahoe, a place they would return to vacation many times afterward. Following their honeymoon, the couple lived in Lakewood across the street from the Lakewood Drive-In Theater and Cal-Stores, the first discount big box store in California. Then, they moved to a townhouse on Linden Avenue in North Long Beach.

Allen was working at North American Aviation Autonetics Division in Downey and later he went to work at Pacific Pumps in Huntington Park. And, soon Shirley became a stay-at-home mom.

In 1970, Allen and Shirley were overjoyed with the birth of their daughter, Monica, and she was given her best friend's middle name, Darlene.

Monica was the shining star and inspiration in their lives. Dena remembers Monica was like a precious treasure that Shirley guarded with everything she had. When visiting Shirley's beloved Aunt Elsie in Deep River, Washington, one of the lasting memories was baby Monica getting a bath in Elsie's 1930s sink in her farmhouse residence of those early days. When the couple moved to their rented home on Clark Street, Shirley and Allen took Monica to play in the playground at the park down the street.

Shirley and Monica were bonded and inseparable. As a mother, she was tremendously supportive through Monica's school years. They had a spectacular relationship.

The family bought their home in the new city of Fountain Valley, which previously was called Gospel Springs for all the tent revivals that were held there. They have been there ever since.

With a goal to pay the house off, the couple started a mail order business from their new home by selling 12 inch high replica slot machine banks. They saw these being sold in Virginia City, Nevada while visiting Lake Tahoe one year. With Monica at school, Shirley would process orders they received by mail, and they'd package the banks after dinner for UPS pickup the next day. Cupcake, their Dachshund for 15 years, would bark at the UPS man early on during those pickups. But, the UPS man got to know the family and he became Cupcake's best friend.

Her cousin, Dena, says she and her husband, Ken, spent time with Allen, Shirley and Monica when they visited the National Parks and Disneyland. Shirley insisted that they come to their home and stay with them instead of staying at a hotel. Shirley fixed them so many wonderful meals. She remembers that Shirley was generous and she had a delightful laugh. They were very close for cousins. And Dena was impressed that Shirley made sure Monica knew her extended family in Washington, too. Shirley and Allen enjoyed summers in Longview with Dena and Ken in their house overlooking Lake Sacagawea. Allen says that scene looks like it came out of a Rockwell painting.

With many favorites in life, Shirley's favorite holiday was Christmas because it meant "family time." They'd put up a Christmas tree in the living room and Shirley was the driving force to pull everything together. On Christmas morning, Monica always woke up first. Shirley and Monica would sit on the couch while Allen would hand out gifts. It was a beautiful Christmas scene as Johnny Mathis music played in the background. Monica was always thrilled with her gifts and giving gifts.

For Thanksgiving and Christmas, Shirley was a great cook. She made many of Aunt Elsie's recipes.

There were many vacations over the years to Lake Tahoe and to visit Shirley's relatives in Deep River, Washington, Aunt Elsie, Uncle Fred and Cousin Fred Jr. and his family. She liked spending time with her Aunt Elsie, who was like a second mother to her. Aunt Elsie lived on an 80 acre ranch and they raised cattle. It was the beautiful outdoors. Deep River is also near Cathlamet, the salmon fishing capital of the world and it was not uncommon when the family stayed with Elsie and Fred, to hear a knock on the door by a fisherman offering them a 10 or 15 pound salmon just for the privilege of fishing on their property. The family also traveled to Lake Tahoe in 1988 and they had a caricature drawn of all three of them – Allen, Shirley and Monica – while riding on the Tahoe Queen paddle wheeler. It's a fabulous, fun picture which they framed and still hangs in their home, which is at the service for all to see. Throughout the years, that caricature has brought back many smiles and remembrances to Allen, Shirley and Monica of those beautiful trips to Lake Tahoe.

There were trips to Las Vegas where the couple saw headliners such as Tom Jones, Fats Domino and Johnny Mathis. They also saw Johnny Mathis sing in Laughlin while sitting on a stone wall at a sold out concert venue outdoors. Allen comments, "Talk about cheap seats."

In 1993, a few years before Allen retired, Northrop sent him to Australia and the company allowed him to take Shirley along on the trip. It turned out to be an amazing three week paid vacation and adventure for the couple. Monica watched the house and had herself a little party or two, while they enjoyed that vacation of all vacations. It was first class all the way.

Shirley was an avid reader, especially biographies about celebrities and the Frank McCourt biography, "Angela's Ashes." She also enjoyed watching daytime talk shows and the couple's favorite prime time television show was "24." She liked mysteries and anything starring Simon Baker, especially "The Mentalist." She enjoyed stories about people turning their lives around. Her own family's history is chronicled in a hard-bound book published in the early 1980s.

Both Shirley and Allen loved movies. She liked dramas and she sat through Allens's action adventure films. For two years, they had season tickets at the La Mirada Playhouse and attended shows there with Darryl Moyer and his wife, Sharon.

She mostly liked basic American and farm style food because of her upbringing. She made delicious dishes such as ground beef, sliced potatoes, onions, and BBQ sauce. Monica loved her creamed hamburger over whipped mashed potatoes. And she made many simple dishes from Elsie's recipe box. She loved coffee and kept a pot brewing all day for any frequent visitor from the neighborhood who happened to come in. One of them was Lee, from across the street. When Lee moved to Oklahoma with her husband, it was a sad day for Shirley, because Lee was a wonderful friend to her.

In their home, Shirley liked having comforting things around such as her China cabinets filled with China and teapots. There were so many keepsakes and those family connections were big for Shirley.

Shirley was very easy to get along with and she always seemed to know the right thing to do. She was so personable and never said a bad word about anyone. She would listen to a situation and advise to do the right thing. When she knew something was important, she took care of it and got it done.

Sadly, in 2008, Monica suddenly passed away. It was at her untimely passing that Shirley went into a deep depression.

As he was grieving, too, Allen did everything he could to support her. Both her cousins Dena and Freddy talked with her by phone and kept in touch, trying to lift her spirits, but she struggled with life after Monica passed. Looking back on those times, Allen notes that was probably the early stages of dementia issues.

Eventually, Shirley was formally diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Allen became her caregiver at home for about two years. When she went into the nursing homes, Allen visited every day. The day before she passed, Darlene told her when she got where she was going to tell Darlene's son, Mike, that she loves him. Darlene also told Shirley she would be joining them some day, too. Then, she added – my twin was cuter than your twin. It was a private little joke the two had since childhood about the twins they had a crush on.

Shirley's spirit is now free to soar as she is at peace.

After Monica's passing, Allen experienced a religious epiphany and adopted Christianity as his chosen faith. As Shirley's heritage was Irish Protestant, Monica was also very religious. To further Monica's understanding of her faith, she acquired a number of Bibles that she annotated profusely and could quote scripture with perfect recall. She attended numerous Bible study classes and Allen commented that she could have taught some of those classes. And many friends were met and remained for the rest of her life through those Bible classes. Allen reflects that Shirley is now with their precious daughter, Monica, and he is hoping that their reunion is the most joy in all of heaven. Allen is thankful that God let him have her as long as he did.

Today is Shirley's funeral. Tomorrow would have been Allen and Shirley's 46th wedding anniversary and then the next day will be Allen's 73rd birthday.

While Allen misses Shirley tremendously, he remembers that she was a great wife and companion throughout his life, and the computer was right, they had a strong compatibility. He also knows that she is at peace and no longer suffering through Alzheimer's debilitating progress. Throughout the five years of her illness, Allen recalls that at no time did Shirley complain. She seemed to accept what was a part of her life and she was content.

Darlene will miss her good friend, who she could confide in about everything. All of your secrets were safe with Shirley.

God's purpose for Shirley may have been to be a dedicated wife, mother, and friend and she fulfilled that purpose perfectly. She will best be remembered as kind, sweet, generous, and devoted to her family. What was right for the family was always the right thing to do. She was very grounded; she had great maternal instincts; she had a strong commitment for the success of the family mail order business; and she made it all work.

Shirley's advice to all of you would be to think of her as happy, reunited with her family and Monica, as she's in the hands of God and peaceful in a new existence which is reinforced by our faith. They are all in God's garden now.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents Margerie and Arvel; three siblings; her son David; and her daughter Monica. She is loved and remembered by her husband Allen; her cousins Dena and Fred; her childhood friend Darlene; extended family and close friends.

Shirley's daughter's memorial is here: Monica Katz