Shirley Rae Schuyler-Wood

1937 - 2025

Shirley was born on April 10, 1937 to Elma and Raymond Schuyler in Woodland, CA. She slipped peacefully into eternity on October 27, 2025 in Santa Cruz, CA surrounded by her loved ones.

Shirley grew up in Aromas, CA and graduated from Watsonville High School in 1955. She later moved to San Jose where she attended Beauty College and married Richard Dickerson. Together they raised three daughters, Julie Ann, Cathleen Gail, and Terri Lynn.

Shirley was stylish and spunky, adventurous, independent, loving and generous. She touched many people's lives through her free spirit and her ability to have a good time! Shirley exemplified fun! She believed that "the great essentials in life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for."

Shirley lived and traveled to many places in her lifetime and her favorite places were on the beaches of Hawaii. A few of her favorite jobs included: Hair Stylist, Banking, Real Estate Agent, Travel Agent, and a Winery Host in Napa Valley. Shirley loved playing cards, writing journals for her grandchildren, shopping and dancing.

Shirley loved to dance! She had prayed to God for a good and kind man to share her life with and met Ed Wood while country dancing at Casa De Fruta in 1989. They married and moved to Yountville, CA, where they were involved in many community activities. Shirley performed as a Tap Dancer with Dolly's Dancers and participated in many civic events including Valley fund raising, and entertaining Veterans and the public in Yountville. Ed passed away in 2007.

Shirley was able to go and do many things well into her 80's. In the last five years she lived with her daughter Cathy and the two of them were known as "The Bohemians" and were always on the road for new adventures.

Shirley never lost her smile, her laugh, her kindness and her loving gentle spirit. She will be deeply missed, remembered and cherished forever by her family. She leaves behind her daughters, Julie Hughes, Cathy Avery, and Terri (Tom) Bloesch. Grandchildren, Megan (Justin) Penicks, Shireen (Eric) Gallegos, Tony (Stormie) Yarahmadi, Matthew (Melissa) Bloesch, Mallory Bloesch, and Laura Hughes. Six great grandchildren, Scarlett, Clyde, Tucker, Sabrina, Rheece and Rayan, and her sister Lucille Bowles, plus many nieces and nephews. The family is forever grateful and thankful to have had such a wonderful person as Shirley to have shared their lives with.

A Celebration of Life will follow her interment at Pajaro Valley Memorial Park in April 2026.