Forrest Shigley

1930 - 2023

Forrest Shigley
March 2, 1930 - May 12, 2023
Forrest D. Shigley died May 12, 2023 in Santa Rosa after a debilitating illness. Forrest, known as Bud, was born March 2, 1930 in Lafayette, Indiana to Forrest A. and Berniece (Cornell) Shigley. Bud graduated from Jefferson High School in Lafayette in 1948. He married Damaris Bishop on December 31, 1948. They had been married for 66 years when Damaris died in 2015.
Bud worked at the Fowler and Lahr Hotels in Lafayette before he was drafted into the Marine Corps in 1952. After two years of Marine Corps service, Bud attended Ball State Teachers College, from which he graduated in less than three years. He then taught school and coached sports in Reynolds and Remington, Indiana.
In 1961, Bud and Damaris moved to Redwood City, California, and Bud began a 31-year career with the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District. For five years, he taught at Ralston Junior High School, during which time he completed a Masters degree and earned a school administrator credential from San Jose State. He then served for 26 years as principal at Barrett, Cipriani and Nesbit Schools. He also was interim district superintendent in 1988.
Bud and Damaris welcomed a son, Forrest Paul, in 1964, and the family settled in Belmont four years later. Bud remained in Belmont until he moved to Santa Rosa in 2021 to be close to Paul and his wife, Dana.
In retirement, Bud was a docent at Filoli estate in Woodside, where he led small school groups on nature hikes through Filoli's backcountry. Bud also led school classes on hikes at San Bruno Mountain and other open spaces in San Mateo County.
Golf was Bud's passion. He first learned to play as a 12-year-old caddie in Indiana and completed his final 18 holes shortly after his 92nd birthday. Bud played 223 golf courses located around the world. He was a member at Poplar Creek (San Mateo) Golf Course and was proud to carry a 9 handicap while in his 60s. He played in numerous amateur golf tournaments, including in the flights and senior divisions at the San Francisco City Championships, and with Paul at what was then called the Father-Son Golf Tournament at Golden Gate Park Golf Course. To encourage beginners, Bud loaned or gave sets of golf clubs to many people. He also attended numerous professional tournaments, including at least nine U.S. Opens.
Bud's other interests at various times of life included hunting and target shooting, thrift shop bargain hunting, attending the Indianapolis 500, freelance writing, building and flying kites, fishing, propagating flowers, listening to music, and travel to Hawaii.
Bud is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Paul and Dana Shigley of Santa Rosa, sister Kay Stone of Lafayette, Indiana, sisters-in-law Patricia Moore of Pine Grove and Linda Pfeiffer of Banning, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Damaris, and sister Marilyn Corder. The family thanks the staff at Our Home board and care in Santa Rosa for providing excellent, gentle care of Bud during his final difficult months. A celebration of life is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. on July 6 in the Tournament Room at Poplar Creek Golf Course. Memorial gifts may be sent to the San Mateo County Parks Foundation for its Youth Environmental Education Field Trips program.