Shirley Jean Miner (Schneider)

Shirley Jean Schneider

April 10, 1926, to November 6, 2023

Shirley was born in Yakima, Washington.  Her parents were Helen (Morgan) Schneider and Elmer Schneider.  Shirley is survived by her younger sister, Margaret Burzynski, who lives in West Seattle.

Shirley attended Cascade elementary and Franklin Junior High in Yakima.  She attended Broadway High School in Seattle after moving from Yakima in 1941.

She graduated from High school in 1944 and then attended Griffen business college and qualified as a medical stenographer and expert typist.

She the age of 18 she went to work as a medical stenographer for New York Life insurance company where she also learned to work the telephone exchange as an operator.

She was an active volunteer with the USO where she met Frank U Miner, her future husband, on a blind date on July 4, 1949.

They wed on February 25th, 1950, and bought a house in West Seattle. 

Shirley had three children, John Ray Miner who died in a climbing accident in 2004 in Alberta Canada.

Phillip Dale Miner who passed in 1979

Thomas Brian Miner who lives in Gig Harbor with his wife Christine

Shirley has two grandchildren by son Thomas, Rebecca Miner Fuller married to Michael Fuller, and Jason Miner 

She has two great grandchildren Chloe Fuller and River Fuller

Shirley and Frank were avid boaters and were charter members of the Puget Sound Outboard Cruising Club, now the Puget Sound Yacht Club located on Lake Union in Seattle.  Frank and Shirley would drag the three boys down to the club house on weekends where she and Frank would work on renovating the old building into a fun gathering place for club members.  The club house still stands today.

They spend summer vacations boating all over Washington state.  They had four boats in their lifetime as it was their favorite recreational pastime.

In 1957 they moved the family to Burien where Frank would be closer to his work as a roofing contractor.  At the time Federal way was a developing residential housing area and much of his work was located south of Seattle.

Shirley managed the roofing business and was active in supporting the boys in their scouting careers.  All three boys became Eagle Scouts through her support and encouragement.  When they joined Explorer Search and Rescue, she volunteered to call out other members of the search team whenever there was a mission.

In 1974 Frank and Shirley bought a piece of property on San Juan Island and made the decision to move from Burien to the islands.  All the boys had moved on with their lives, so they packed up the house and the business and moved into a double wide modular home and set up a business on the island.

Shirley thrived on island life and became a well-known figure in all aspects of island activity. She became the president of the San Juan County fair board and helped set up and run the fair for many years.  She held several jobs on the Island working in the courthouse, at a bakery, in a dry cleaners and as a waitress at several restaurants.

She helped Frank not only run his roofing company but when they branched out into gutters, she could be found on the jobsite helping build and hang gutters on new homes until they retired in their 80’s.  She was an active member of the American Legion branch in Friday Harbor along with Frank.

Frank was the fire chief for the city of Friday Harbor in the 80’s.  When the city bought a new fire truck she and frank travelled to Florida and drove a new fire truck cross country back to Friday Harbor.

They enjoyed cruises and it seems like every year they were on another adventure somewhere around the world.  They cruised the Mississippi river, the Caribbean, Mexico and Alaska.

They worked together in the Gutter business well into their 80’s when they finally retired.  They bought an RV and began to travel with the San Juan Islander RV club.  They travelled all over the US Mexico and Canada.  Travelling with the club to Mexico and touring the famous Copper Canyon by train.  They went to the massive RV convention back in the Midwest with thousands of other RV’rs but their greatest adventure was driving the Alcan highway to Alaska and back.

Shirley was very proud of her boats, her RV’s and her family. 

In 2014 after a series of medical setbacks for Frank and Shirley, Tom moved them from their home on Cattle Point San Juan Island to assisted living in downtown Friday Harbor.  In 2016, in order to better assist them and care for them Tom convinced them to move to Gig Harbor and The Lodge at Mallards Landing which is 10 minutes from his home rather than a full day getting to the islands.

Frank passed away in 2017.

Shirley was the longest living member of the entire Schneider or Miner family trees.  She remained active and robust until her final months of life. Her caregivers and staff at Mallards Landing were kind and caring and we cannot thank them enough for their time watching over Shirley.  Hospice care givers were a godsend in her final days and we cannot thank them enough for ensuring she was comfortable and well cared for until the end.

Shirley is survived by her Middle Son Thomas, Age 71 and his wife Chris, her Sister Margaret Burzynski, Age 95, Granddaughter Rebecca Fuller, (Mike) Grandson Jason, Great granddaughter Chloe Fuller and Great Grandson River Fuller. 

Shirley will be interred at Haven of Rest in Gig Harbor next to her Husband Frank

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