Our beloved mom, grandmother and great grandmother, Shirley Jean Reynolds left us unexpectedly on June 3, 2023, dying peacefully in her sleep. She was 86 years young!
Mom was born on March 5, 1937 to Perry Reynolds and Dorothy Raby in Seattle, Washington, a place she dearly loved and always considered home.
She married Ernest Jay Hardy in southern California in 1958 (later divorced) and raised three children there, living in Orange County for over 40 years. Mom deeply loved her children, and spent hours and hours working on school projects, taking us to extracurricular activities or sewing the three of us fabulous Halloween costumes.
During these years she became a very talented manicurist and was always available to her very happy clients, many becoming lifelong friends. Mom had many talents including gardening, sewing, knitting, crocheting and cross stitch. She made countless hats, scarves, socks and beautiful afghan blankets for her children and grandchildren.
Shirley was a pet lover, but her favorite pets were her cats, of which she had several over the years. She was never a “crazy cat lady” however. By far her favorite two cats were Mr. Wooly and Fred, named for Fred Astaire, her favorite dancer.
Mom was a beautiful woman, inside and out. Although she had many struggles and knew loss and hardship, she never let those things get the best of her. While she wasn’t a woman of great financial means, she always looked like a million bucks!
Mom spent her final decade of life in Salt Lake City, Utah to to be near her family, living independently until her death.
She is survived by her three children: Malinka (Curt) Andersen; Bethany Hansen; Patrick Hardy. She also leaves behind 5 grandchildren: Eddie; Cameron (Natalie); Blake (Stephanie); Steven; Jenna (Jill); as well as 8 great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, stepbrother Keith MacLean and son in law, Frank Hansen.
We are not going to say goodbye Mom, but only so long for now. We love you so very very much, and we will miss you and your beautiful smile every day. One fine day, we will all be joyfully reunited.
Her family will hold a private celebration of life at a later date.
Shirley was one of the classiest people I have ever met. She will always be my mother-in-law, my "Mom Shirley". She was the example I hope to follow on how to be a wonderful mother-in-law, but even more like a mother to me since my own was so far away.. I love her dearly and am so sad she is no longer with us. But I know we will see her again. Love you Mom!
