Shirley Ann Carradine

SHIRLEY ANN CARRADINE was born in West Palm Beach, FL on March 13th, 1935 (a surprise for her children after they took over her affairs in later days, as March 12th had always been celebrated - perhaps the 13th was thought to be unlucky?), the youngest child of Thelma (nee Lawrence, of Illinois) and Nick Scott (of Corinth, Greece). Although Shirley spent most of her life in Baton Rouge, LA and Los Angeles, CA, she also lived in Washington, DC and Massachusetts, as well as Florida.

Shirley was married (and divorced) three times: twice to John H. (Jack) Carradine and once to Ratus L. Kelly, Jr. She was a (not-so) stay-at-home mother until her children grew, and worked for many years in the business office at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center In Baton Rouge. Shirley loved to travel, visiting Greece with family, Scotland, and St. Lucia with both husbands. She was game for RV trips to Texas, Florida and Arkansas. She passed many a good time in Mandeville, New Orleans and False River, Louisiana, as well as on the beaches of the Florida Panhandle. Her kids have happy memories of these road trips in Shirley's '68 Chevy Impala, top down and trailing the sounds of Hank Williams, Sr., Simon and Garfunkel and Lucinda Williams, accompanied by Shirley's amazing whistle. She had enduring friendships in a supportive community of other divorced moms. Shirley was a great reader who loved John D. McDonald, Michael Connolly, and the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. She was a terrific cook whose many recipes survive as "Mom's Famous _____." Shirley was an animal lover and family life included many dogs, cats, birds and fish. She had a green thumb and was often ready with a tasty morsel and/or a cockamamie scheme.

It was fortunate that Shirley seized the good times in her life when she could, as her retirement dreams were severed by a devastating stroke in 2000. After her recovery, Shirley in Glendale, CA, at Broadway Manor Care Center, near her daughters. There, she saw her four grandchildren become teens and young adults. She enjoyed outings and family gatherings for many years, although those were curtailed by Covid-19.

Shirley passed away peacefully in the afternoon of February 18th, 2022, with her children in attendance, physically or virtually. She was preceded in death by her brother, Thomas Scott, her sister, Gloria Smith, her nephews, Thomas Scott, Scott Smith and Dean Smith, and her niece Kathryn Davis. Shirley is survived by her daughters, Alison Kelly (Andrew Cleveland), Nancy Saltzman (David Saltzman), both of Los Angeles, CA, Susannah Carradine (Mark Franz) and by her son, John Carradine (Rayne Carradine), both of New Orleans, LA; by her grandchildren, Ruby Saltzman, Spencer Saltzman, Lucy Carradine and Stella Carradine; and by her nephew and nieces, Mark Smith, Susan Scott and Shelia Scott.

Shirley was cremated at Forest Lawn Cemetery on March 23rd, 2022. Remembrances can be left on her Tributes.com obituary page. Have some fun in her memory.