Shirley Phipps (Reyner) (Day) Phipps (Reyner)

Grace and beauty have flown from the earth and those who knew Shirley are richer for it.

Shirley M. Landis was born 3 December 1929 in San Francisco California to two entertainers, her mother, Ruth Murphy was a dancer in major MGM musicals and stage plays such as No, No, Nannette and musician Francis Marion Landis who wrote and played music and generally played Lead saxophone in a number of large bands including Xavier Cugat. Francis was the son of Simon Landis a Civil War hero of the 60th Illinois Infantry and Ruth was the daughter of Nancy Marlow of the Marlow brothers of Oklahoma fame which inspired the story, "The Sons of Katie Elder".

Shirley had a difficult, but exciting life growing up in San Francisco California during the great depression to two working parents. Francis remembered later in life, "little Shirley, sleeping in his saxophone case back stage while he performed". Later when her parents divorced, her life got even harder; having to be placed for a short while in a Catholic orphanage, until her Mother could establish herself and support her children during the depression. Despite the difficulty of her early life, Shirley found joy in her young life in a highly multicultural San Francisco neighborhood, she was close friends with the Vallenti's, a recently immigrated Italian family and the Wong's. This love of all cultures and peoples was a thread that would be woven throughout her life. Her genuine love and caring was evident to all. Her personal love was the arts, she worked as an usher in major San Francisco theaters to gain access to watch musicians of the day, plays and musicals that would tour San Francisco.

Later near the beginning of the war, they moved to Los Angeles where Ruth worked in military plants for the war effort. Life in Los Angeles was equally exciting for Shirley where she continued her love of the arts. She developed her voice and was accepted and graduated from Manual Arts High School with a specialty in voice. She sang at a number of venues, specializing in mostly classical pieces. She also took part in the thousand-voice choir in the Hollywood bowl which she had fond memories of. Shirley continued her music education in Los Angeles and later in the late 40's, she met a sailor, Nelson James "Jim" Brown and fell in love. Nelson and Shirley married in the spring of 1951. Shirley moved back to Jim's home in Joplin Missouri. It was here, given her music degree, she was found qualified to teach in a one-room school house. She did this for a few years; but, grew tired of the hard-scrabble life of mid-twentieth century rural Missouri. She argued to move back to San Francisco or Los Angeles while Jim wanted to continue a rural life. They settled on a compromise of moving to Southwest Oregon in the Umpqua Valley in the late 1950's, arriving in time to celebrate Oregon's 100th anniversary in 1959.

Jim worked in Lumber and Shirley went back to school at Southern Oregon State College, Ashland Oregon to earn a teaching certificate. It was here that she had an English class taught by Angus Livingston Bowmer, the founder of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, in which she was involved assisting her professor in the staging of plays. Shirley began her early education career in Oakland Oregon, and transferred to nearby Sutherlin when a full teaching slot opened up in 1962. She began teaching first grade, and later changed to fourth where she taught for 22 years, retiring in 1987. Thousands of children were guided to a better life because of her boundless kindness, love, compassion, and her indomitable strength.

Shirley had two sons at this time, David in 1961 and Doug in 1963. Shirley and Jim agreed with with Southern Oregon, and it agreed with them, the beauty of Oregon and the warmth of their friends and small family were part of Jim and Shirley's happiness. Like all working women, Shirley was always busy. In addition to a full-time job in the School district and raising a family Shirley continued to be involved in the arts. She sang at special events. She also painted in oils and acrylics and collected antiques, toys and dolls and shared these hobbies with her close friends, many of which will be at her memorial service. I am sure, if Shirley could, she would thank you for your decades of love and friendship. You were a special part of her life, and I know her warmth and smile was a delight to you as it was to all.

Jim passed away in 1977 of a stroke. Shirley continued on, raising her boys and teaching fourth grade, a job she loved beyond all others. During this time, possibly inspired by her time in SOSC, she dabbled in amateur acting and other arts.

Always busy, she was still, lonely and hoped to find the right person. The decade turned, and she continued to teach, preparing children to take the next step into life, while doing the same for her two boys. When she met Paul Eugene Renyer, and fell in love with the kind and gentle man. They married in May 1982 and had a wonderful, if brief 10 years together. Unfortunately, Paul died of Pancreatic Cancer in 1992. It was Shirley's wish to be be buried beside Paul for eternity, which she will after her memorial service.

After Shirley's retirement, she began her dream of travel. She first traveled to the newly open Soviet Union twice and stayed in Russian Hostel for a few months, immersing herself in the Russian culture and arts. She traveled to Ireland, Scotland and all over Europe. Shirley soon remarried her third husband Alvin Phipps in 1993 and moved to Hillsboro Oregon. Together they enjoyed travel throughout North America, Europe the Middle East and Australia. They routinely traveled throughout the Northwest and across the US to North Carolina to visit their Son and Daughter in Law David and Cindy and their grandchild Miri and Florida to visit with her Son Doug, Daughter in law Jenni and her grandsons Adam and Kevin.

When not traveling, Shirley was active in the Hillsboro Doll Club, and her large garden in her new house in North Plains. Shirley divorced Al in 2013 and moved to Forest Grove. Shirley lived at Jennings McCall, assisted by her granddaughter Miri. Later she moved into a house in Forest Grove which she enjoyed immensely. Shirley passed away peacefully on November 28th, on December 3, 5 days later, she would have been 87.

These are the thoughts of her Son Doug, but I am sure they are echoed by all:

Grace and beauty have flown from the earth
and those who knew her are richer for it.

I collected her kisses upon my cheek for a lifetime
her voice still says, "I love you to honey" in my head
and so she is with me every day.

If you knew her then all these words are shallow