OBITUARY FOR SHIRLEY AVERY

12/28/1928 – 11/9/2025

Shirley Ann (Learn) Avery was born in Nazareth, PA on December 28, 1928. She grew up in Quakertown, PA. During her childhood and teen years she took piano lessons at a local music conservatory and became a very competent pianist. Shirley was active in her high school drama department plays at Quakertown High School and graduated in 1946. She trained in Nursing at Hahnemann University in Philadelphia and graduated in 1949. She joined the US Army Medical Corps as 2nd Lieutenant. During the Korean War she was stationed at Fukuoka Japan. After returning home she worked as a school nurse in Bucks County, PA. She married James Avery in 1954. The family moved from Pennsylvania to Tempe in 1960; and she spent her last years as a resident of Friendship Village, Tempe. She was active for many years in the Valley Unitarian Universalist Church and volunteered in community service organizations. She enjoyed listening to classical music, playing bridge, visiting with friends and family, doing daily crossword puzzles and participating in several crafts such as creating stained glass art. For many years she took daily brisk 2-mile walks around Friendship Village and was known as the “Energizer Bunny”! She is survived by 4 children, Tom (Sylvia), Susan (Chris), Dale (Sheila) and Jim (Lee). She was preceded in death by her husband James Avery, her sister Sandra Horne (Donald), and a grandson, John Avery. She is survived by her brother Dale Learn (Joan), 9 grandchildren: Dave Avery, Cari Sheedy (Chris), Amy Clark, Rena Aspell (Jason), Ian Clark (Maureen), Alison Stambaugh (Michael), Alex Avery (Lori), Matt Avery and Sam Avery (Erin) and 14 great grandchildren. Shirley’s ashes will be interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona.

     Donations may be made to the Alzheimers Association https://www.alz.org/dsw.

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