Shirley Noreen Wells Cooper

Shirley Noreen Wells Cooper, age 80, of Grants Pass, died Saturday, April 18, 2009 at Three Rivers Community Hospital.

A memorial service will be at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, May 2, 2009 at Unity Church of Grants Pass. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Unity Church of Grants Pass, 1027 SE M Street, Grants Pass, Oregon 97526 or RCC Foundation, ArtWorks Program, 3345 Redwood Highway, Grants Pass, Oregon 97527.

Shirley was born November 1, 1928 in Ketchikan, Alaska, and had 3 brothers. She grew up in Alaska, Washington and Hawaii, a childhood survivor of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Her first job was as a Radio DJ. She also worked as a dance instructor for Arthur Murray and later as an art instructor. She retired from McDonnell Douglas as a Technical Illustrator in 1993, and moved to Grants Pass from Bellflower, California.

She volunteered for Festival of Trees, donated artwork to Black, White and the Blues, Walk On The Rogue and Hearts Of Love/Evergreen Federal, and knitted for Caps for Kids.

She enjoyed art, puzzles, reading and the company of her family and friends.

Survivors include a son, Bryan Mitchell and a daughter Teresa Freese, both of Grants Pass; four grandchildren, Gary and Rebecca Mitchell and Ashley Thomas and Jess Quinn.