As the 2024 Summer Solstice and Full Moon in Capricorn approached, Shirley Corrine Sluyter Fox passed away at 84 years old on Wednesday June 19, 2024, at her home in La Conner, WA. She loved everything sunshine, and perhaps she held out until school got out for the summer.

Shirley was born on January 9, 1940, in Rolette, North Dakota, to Mabel (Clayton) and Cleo Sluyter. Cleo worked in North Dakota as an Engineer for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. They lived on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation until Shirley was 5 years old, at which time they moved to Portland, Oregon. Shirley was the 4th of seven children. She grew up skiing on Mt. Hood, climbing mountains, and enjoying life on the farm with her family and friends.

Shirley completed her Bachelor's Degree from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, in 1962, and then earned her Teaching Certificate. In college, Shirley met Robert (Bob) LeRoy Fox. They married on July 1, 1960. Early in their marriage, they enjoyed traveling and living in France, where she learned to make delicious omelets and souffles. Early in their careers, Shirley was an English teacher and Bob was a History teacher in Springfield, OR, where they built a house and had two children, Kecia and Joe. Shirley and Bob were committed to civil rights and social justice in their young adult lives and this belief in equality continued throughout their lives.

After teaching in Oregon and England, they moved their family to South Carolina, where Bob attended Sherman College of Chiropractic and Shirley worked to put Bob through school. They enjoyed creating lifelong friendships and raising Kecia and Joe. After finishing Sherman, they wanted to settle in an island town with good schools. They looked far and wide, from the Hawaiian to the San Juan Islands. They eventually chose Anacortes, WA, where they bought 15 acres on Trafton Lake, in a magical forest bordering Deception Pass State Park. There, they built another house with timber from the property. Their third child, Kara, came along, offering their now three children the pleasure of growing up in a beautiful hand built home in a wonderful community.

Throughout her career, Shirley was an English Teacher, managed the family's Chiropractic office, stayed home to raise children, and ended her career as a substance counselor and teacher. Shirley was thrilled to welcome her first grandchild, Che Adams, in 1996, and then Dylan Fox, in 1999. Shirley's third grandchild, Coco Fox, arrived in 2015. She had a very special, loving relationship with each of her grandchildren. Being a Grandmother to Che, Dylan, and Coco was absolutely a highlight of Shirley's beautiful life.

In retirement, Shirley downsized and built a third home on Trafton Lake, and spent half the year in Baja, Mexico. Living in a palapa on the beach was another true highlight of Shirley's life. She swam in the Sea of Cortez, ate fresh seafood, made great friendships, and soaked up the desert Baja sun.

Shirley later moved to Shelter Bay in La Conner, WA, where she stayed until she took her last deep breaths, comfortable at home with her family, as she wished. Shirley is preceded in death by her parents, Cleo and Mabel Sluyter, her son Joe Fox, her husband of 31 years Bob Fox, her sister Patricia Sluyter, and her brother Chuck Sluyter. Shirley leaves behind her daughters Kecia and husband Brian, and Kara and husband Ryan; Grandchildren Che Adams, Dylan Fox, and Coco Fox; sisters Beverly Shoemaker and Bettye Hensel, brothers Vern Sluyter and Ron Sluyter; and many wonderful nieces and nephews, and friends, new and old.

Shirley always told her daughters that she planned to age and exit gracefully. That she certainly did. Shirley was a wonderful free spirit who loved her family dearly. She was humble and generous. She loved nature and travel, deer and eagles, Baja and celebration. She loved to swim and sunbathe. She practiced yoga and meditation. She climbed Mt. Rainier when she was 50, after climbing Mt. Hood and Mt. Baker earlier in her life. Shirley loved to travel with her family, including to France, England, Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador, the Galapagos, Kenya, Tanzania, and Thailand. To know Shirley is to know her bright and kind smile that would light up any room. Shirley loved music and art, reading and gardening, and perhaps above all, spoiling her grandchildren. She loved to host giant family reunions. She read the Seattle PI Times every Sunday. She taught her family to love nature, family, adventure, social justice, education, good food, health and healing. She shared her love freely with family, friends, neighbors, and strangers. Shirley was a proud Mother and Grandmother. We are ever thankful for her love, bright spirit, and kind heart. May her spirit soar and her true love remain in our hearts forever.

We will host a Celebration of Shirley's Life on July 28, 2024, at 2pm at Trafton Lake. We invite gifts in Shirley's honor to the Joe Fox Memorial Scholarship for Anacortes High School graduating seniors, through the Anacortes Schools Foundation.  Please use the comments box to mention "Joe Fox Memorial Scholarship" to get your donation credited accordingly.  If you are writing a check, just write "Joe Fox" on the memo line for proper credit.

If you are so inspired, we encourage a gift in Shirley's honor to Hospice of the Northwest . Mom knew that  "There are Angels Among Us," and certainly we could not have honored her wish to pass comfortably and peacefully at home with her family without the incredible team at Hospice of the Northwest.

To share memories of Shirley, please visit her online obituary at www.evanschapel.com/obituary/shirley-fox .