Shirley Ann Elizabeth Witt was born to Peter and Ethel (Holmgren) Witt in Minot, North Dakota, on May 25, 1935. Shirley was the eldest of three sisters, with Joyce born in 1936 and Patricia born in 1938. Shirley died in Spokane, WA, on September 6, 2026, after living at Solista Independent Living, where she continued to make good friends for the last part of her life.

Shirley attended the University of Chicago at age 16. She graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.A. in History and a minor in French and, later, from San Francisco State University with her M.A. in English Literature. Shirley taught for many years, including in the San Francisco Unified School District, and, in Montana, at the Fort Peck Community College in Poplar and Rocky Mountain College in Billings.

Shirley loved to travel, and she lived in many interesting places, including Minot, San Francisco, Poplar, Billings, and Spokane. Outside of the U.S., she lived in Mexico and Germany.

Shirley is survived by three nephews and a niece and by their respective families: (by age) Andrew Hendrickson, Temecula, CA; Beth Torgerson, Spokane, WA (Bob Steinauer, spouse; Kendra and Nicole, daughters); Mark Hendrickson, Louisville, CO (Paula Selland, spouse; Sara, Katie, and Emily, daughters; and five grand-children); and Lewis Torgerson, Kempner, TX (Teresa Torgerson, spouse; Grant and Randi, son and daughter).

Shirley is preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Ethel Witt; by her former husbands, Charles Waterman and Kalman Kovacs; by her younger sisters, Joyce Hendrickson and Patricia Torgerson; and by her brothers-in-law, Laverne Hendrickson and Ken Torgerson.

Shirley will be cremated and interred in Minot’s Rosehill Cemetery.

At Shirley's request, no memorial services will be held. In lieu of flowers, she has requested donations be made to Fort Peck Community College (PO Box 398, Poplar, MT 59255) or to a local National Public Radio Station.

Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot is in care of her local arrangements.