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When I first wrote about Shirley Stott and her service to the United States and its soldiers and sailors during World War II, I ended the article by saying that I had not been able to find information regarding what she did after the war. However , with a huge thanks to Richard Chung, a fellow researcher I am able to provide the readers with further insights into her life after the war. If you missed the original article, you can read it here.
After the war to 1960
After her separation from the U.S. Army in January 1946, Shirley moved back and resided in south Seattle. According to Seattle telephone directories from the late 1940s to 1960, her residence was listed as 4158 13th Ave S., Seattle.
The directories also list Shirley as a nurse working for a variety of surgeons in south Seattle up until 1960.
On April 11, 1950 Shirley married John Foley at the King County Courthouse in Seattle, and took his surname.
When their marriage was announced, the Seattle Daily Times stated “John Foley, eminent public links player, became a married man this week. Mrs. Foley is the former Shirley Stott.” During their married lives together, Shirley and John were avid golfers, both winning individual as well as couples titles.
After a decade of marriage Shirley and John divorced, but Shirley retained the last name of Foley.
Moving forward:
After her divorce, Shirley continued on as nurse, often caring for the critically ill or injured.
A 1973 Seattle Times article regarding the transport of a 15-year-old girl who was a quadriplegic victim of a gunshot wound, references Shirley as the attending nurse during a flight from Seattle to Richland, Washington for the Christmas holidays:
Caring for the critically injured as a Private Duty Nurse, Shirley would have been 61 years old at the time.
Retirement
After retiring, Shirley lived at Maplewood Manor Condos in Edmonds from 1984 to 1992. She eventually moved to the Lynnwood Rehab Center where she passed away on March 5, 1997, at 84 years of age. Her death came five days after she fell from her wheelchair, which resulted in an acute subdural hematoma (bleeding on the brain). Her body was cremated on March 10. It is unclear from her death record where her ashes were taken.
Final Thoughts
Like so many of her generation Shirley dedicated her life to helping others. From a hospital nurse highly trained in surgery, to a WWII evacuation nurse, to a private Duty Nurse caring for the critically ill and injured, Shirley continued to serve.
To see Shirley’s flight log, photo album and other military documents, and also learn about other Edmonds veterans, visit the Veterans Exhibit at the Edmonds Historical Museum, which runs through January 2025. The museum is located at 118 5th Ave N., Edmonds.
Article written by Byron Wilkes with extensive research by Richard Chung. Additional thanks go to the Edmonds Historical Museum for their assistance in researching this article.
Thank you, Brian and Richard, providing us with more details about Shirley. She was a brave, heroic woman for people who knew her and people who are just meeting her now. A perfect example of The Greatest Generation.
Thank you for such an interesting article.