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Shirley Ruth Sesna

1941 - 2021

Shirley Ruth Sesna obituary, 1941-2021, Albany, OR

BORN

1941

DIED

2021

Shirley Sesna Obituary

Shirley Ruth Sesna

Shirley Ruth Sesna, affectionately known as Grandma ShiShi and Shirlawhirl, died peacefully on March 6, 2021 at Hospice House in Albany, OR.
The beloved mother of Jacqueline Ruth Debets and grandmother of Luc Tayten-Hunter Bend, Shi Shi will be remembered as a vibrant, free and graceful soul. She loved animals and enjoyed the companionship of feral cats, dogs, horses, birds and snakes. She grew up riding horses in the Fortuna Rodeo, fishing, camping and crabbing at the family's cabin at Camp Weott on the Eel River, and later sailing, river rafting and hiking. She always found peace in nature.
Shirley was born in Klamath, CA to Ruth Hunter and Ted Sesna, and grew up in the Eel River Valley of Humboldt County, California, where she was a proud fourth-generation native. Her great great grandfather, Dr. Ring and his brother left their home in Norway to start new lives in America, playing the fiddle for their passage across the Atlantic, eventually settling as the doctor and pharmacist in Ferndale, CA. Dr. Ring owned the first motor car making housecalls to the dairy farming, cattle ranching and lumber families of the region, and built the first hospital in the Valley, now the Gingerbread Mansion Bed and Breakfast Inn; her mother, Ruth H Sesna, was born there. Her grandfather, Paul Hunter, served as a Rough Rider and Teddy Roosevelt's personal orderly, and co-founded the Save the Redwoods League. Deeply connected to Humboldt County history, Shirley married and raised her family in Fortuna, CA, helping her daughter become a horsewoman, camping and water skiing at Ruth Lake and enjoying the beauty of the coastal Redwoods region.
Shirley graduated from Fortuna High School, earned her Bachelor's Degree from CalPoly and two Master's degrees from Humboldt State University and Oregon State University. She taught at Ferndale High School, then moved to Corvallis, Oregon in 1979. Finishing her career in education as a high school guidance counselor, Shirley retired from Lebanon High School.
Shirley loved adventure and traveled to Indonesia, Japan, China, Australia, Fiji and Cook Islands. She enjoyed dancing to live music and the performance art of Kinetic Sculpture Racing; one of her precious achievements was serving as the Teddy Bear Judge in the Corvallis Kinetic Sculpture Race during DaVinci Days. She travelled to KSR races in Port Townsend, WA and the Grand Kinetic Championship from Ferndale to Arcata, CA where she played on her daughter's teams, racing with the Queen of DeNile, the Kinetic Christmas Tree, and Scratch's Last Ride.
Shirley loved Corvallis, OR, a town that delighted and supported her quirky, localvore, thrifting spirit. She participated in the Buddhist community with Lama Tsering Gyaltsen Rinpoche, her teacher and friend.
Shirley was preceded in death by her father, Thurley "Ted" Sesna, her mother Ruth H Sesna, and her brother, Rodger H Sesna. She is survived by her daughter, Jacqueline R Debets, her grandson Luc Tayten-Hunter Bend, her son-in-law Rick Bend, her sister-in-law Linda Sesna, and many cousins, nephews and nieces.
Shirley's life will be celebrated on May 15, 2021 (her 80th birthday) in an open garden ceremony at her home in Corvallis, OR, and online at Remember and Celebrate Shirley (https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/c05r2T7y) where stories and pictures can be posted. Friends and family are invited to visit her gardens between 9 AM and 5 PM on May 15th, place a stone and say a blessing. RSVP to [email protected].

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Times-Standard on May 9, 2021.

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4 Entries

Marjorie

May 15, 2021

She was my hs teacher in Ferndale. She was a fun teacher. I send my condolences to her daughter and her family . May she Rip .

Charlie & Katy Bodony

April 29, 2021

Bon voyage Shirley, we love you forever.

Irma Nuñez Herrera

April 28, 2021

I´m so sorry to here about your mom. May she forever Rest In Peace

Lyn Chambers

April 27, 2021

Shirl and I have been friends since childhood. She would visit on many weekends on the ranch where I lived in Petrolia. We fished, hiked, and enjoyed nature but mostly rode horseback and explored. And an occasional horse race. :) Around 2000 Shirl again came to visit and quickly jumped in to assisted me in helping one of my goats give birth to quadruplets. Impossible to do alone, if Shirl hadn't have been there Mama goat surely would of died with 4 dangled up babies inside. She happily raised 4 female babies. During our High School days we hung together a lot and belonged to the Fortuna Redwood Riders horse group of fellow High School friends. Even the long distance we lived apart, we still remained close and visited in every way possible. In person visits, phone and emails. I miss my dearest life long friend, but thankful after her remarkable life, she is resting in peace. I love you Shirl the Girl.

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