Shirley Cole Holmes Guilford:1922 – 2010 Memorial Service Tomorrow

Contributed by Dyan Holmes

Shirley Lorraine Cole Holmes Guilford went home to be with her Lord on Wednesday, March 24, 2010. She was 87.

Shirley will be remembered for her sunny disposition, wonderful attitude and loving nature. She was born July 13, 1922 to Darrel and Hazel (Harden) Cole in Ferndale, WA. Shirley lived with her parents in Whatcom County and on the north shore of Orcas Island near Bluebell Spring at a logging camp until she was 5 years old.

The family then moved to the Southside of Bellingham so she could attend school. Shirley delighted in telling stories of her youth and the adventures she had with her brother, Darrel and friends: the weekend trips by streetcar (or roller-skates if they wanted to get a hamburger) to Bellingham for the Saturday movie matinee and the hikes up Chuckanut Mountain in the pouring rain; the trips to Birch Bay in the summer.

But some of Shirley’s happiest memories were of the times she got to spend with her grandparents and cousins on Sucia Island. Her grandparents lived on Sucia for many years until the house burned and they relocated to the north shore of Orcas and built Harbor Lights.

Shirley met and married Fred Holmes in August of 1943 and they moved to a houseboat on Lake Union in Seattle until Fred’s stint in the Coast Guard was over.

She held many jobs in her youth, from working at the paper mill to working at a toy factory and even a pickle packing company. While Fred was overseas, Shirley got the chance to purchase a lot near her grandparent’s home on Orcas. While enjoying a second honeymoon after Fred was discharged from the Coast Guard, she informed him “he was standing on his own land!” They never returned to Seattle, but stayed and built a shack from wood salvaged from the sound.

They lived there and had two sons, Freddy Lynn and Darrel (D.D.), until 1952 when they decided to move to Valdez, AK to be able to make enough money to build a proper house. They returned to Orcas in 1957, money in their pocket, debt free and with a baby sister, Cheryl, for the boys. The family enjoyed island life, and were involved in all the school activities.

Fred passed away in 1965, and after leaving the island for California for a year, Shirley returned to Orcas, knowing it was the best place to be. She met and married Earl Guilford in July of 1968 and they had a rich and rewarding life revolving around their children, their church (Orcas Community Church) and many other island activities. Shirley’s love of children is evidenced by the number of now adults who still called her “Grandma Shirley.” They were either in her charge at her day care or else she instructed them at Sunday school.

On Orcas, Shirley did many jobs to help supplement the family’s income, such as housekeeping at the resorts and catering private parties. She also was a short order cook at “The Bungalow” (now Vern’s Bayside) and she worked at the school as a janitor and kitchen helper where she was able to keep a pretty close eye on her kids!

Earl passed away in 1998, and in 1999, Shirley sold the island property and moved back to Bellingham. After a short time of living on the north side of town, she returned to her old stomping grounds of Fairhaven, where she reconnected with her very first “beau”, Frank Hewittson. They enjoyed 3 years of companionship but never married, not from the lack of Frank asking, he asked her every day, sometime twice.

Shirley lived at the Parkway Chateau until recently when she moved to Summit Place/Mt. Baker Care Center. Her time at the Chateau was a happy time for her and she participated in many of the activities, her favorites being, Bingo, Bean Bag Baseball and the Saturday Horse Races. She found her second church home at Immanuel Bible Church and made many good friends wherever she went.

Shirley was an accomplished artist, even winning first place on several of her pieces at the county fair. Her skill at the sewing machine provided many costumes for the church pageants, dance recitals and school dances for her daughter and granddaughter. Card playing was another favorite pastime and the family get-togethers rarely ended without a few hands of “Oh H–l” or Pinochle.

She was preceded in death by husbands, Fred and Earl, sons Fred and Darrel, brothers Darrel and Dale (Billy), granddaughter Kristine, grandson Jim and loving friend Frank. Shirley is survived by her daughter, Cheryl Willkie of Bellingham and her sons, Bob and wife Gina of Astoria, OR and Christopher of Bellingham. She is also survived by grandson Tim Holmes and wife Marce and their children Dyan and Dylan of Orcas, WA; granddaughter Pam Myers and her children, Amanda and Cody of Anacortes, WA; stepson David Guilford and wife Sondra and their children, Seth wife Cecily and their son Conrad, and Shem, Isaac, Israel wife Chelsie and Judah of Billings MT; stepson Stephen Guilford wife Debbie and their children Jacqueline of Seattle, WA and son Colton of Bellingham, WA. Franks children and grandchildren will also miss her dearly as will all of her cousins.

Memorials may be made to either the Orcas Community Church or to Immanuel Bible Church in Bellingham. A funeral service will be held at 1:00 pm, Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at the Orcas Community Church, with a reception and a burial to follow at Woodlawn Cemetery. Arrangements are in the care of Evans Funeral Chapel & Crematory, Inc., Anacortes, WA and the San Juan Islands. To share memories of Shirley please sign the online guest register at www.evanschapel.com.