Obituary of Shirley Neal Fritcher Nusom

Shirley Neal Fritcher Nusom was born July 8, 1930 in Mesa, Arizona to William and Anne Neal.She was a cowboy’s daughter and lived the first five years in Arizona before moving to California with her mother after her father’s death.She attended various schools in Los Angeles County and graduated from Antelope Valley High School while her mother worked to support the two of them. As a student Shirley was socially active and enjoyed athletics. She attended Antelope Community College and University of California Santa Barbara before developing an interest in dental hygiene with the encouragement of her local family dentist.She transferred to University of Southern California to earn a bachelor’s of science degree in dental hygiene.While at USC she met her first husband, Ernest Fritcher Jr., a fellow student in the dental school there. Following graduation and marriage she enjoyed a satisfying career as a dental hygienist in her husband’s dental practice, serving up to three generations of the families that came to them for dental care.They also were active in short term medical missions with Missionary Aviation, the Good Samaritans and served the dental needs of their church supported missionaries when on furlough.They had two daughters together and were foster parents to another young girl through her teen years to adulthood. Shirley had many interests and talents.She enjoyed sewing, knitting, reading, bridge club, tennis, running, traveling and learning about new places.Nutrition and fitness was a lifelong passion of hers and exercise with Jack LaLanne was a regular occurrence back in the day.She was active at church attending many different Bible studies. She also served many years as a Sunday school teacher, Pioneer Girls Club Leader, and Summer Church Camp Counselor to primary age children. She loved a good party and enjoyed planning and preparing social gathering at holidays and for other occasions.She regularly attended and enjoyed concerts, plays, and art exhibits maintaining a wide circle of friends. After becoming a widow, Shirley later found another chance to love when she met a widower, Dale Nusom, an Oregon native, while on a bicycling trip in Italy.They later married and were able to enjoy many interests together including traveling, race walking, hiking, bicycling, and sharing their enjoyment of music and the arts.They eventually made Willamette View their permanent home after dividing their time between Oregon and California for much of their married life. Shirley passed away peacefully with family near on September 19, 2019, following a major stroke that occurred ten days prior.In death, Shirley leaves behind her husband Dale Nusom, her sister Jill Morton, her daughters Lea Mosley and Tracey Knotts, son-in-law Michael Knotts, six grand children and ten great grandchildren. There will be a memorial service Thursday, October 3, 2019 at the Willamette View Terrace Building 4th floor auditorium. The address is 13169 SE River Road, Portland, Oregon. Service time is 3:30 pm.and will be led by Reverend Michelle McKinnon-Young of Lake Oswego United Methodist Church.