Shirley W. Schweet

November 11, 1920 – July 30, 2014

Shirley W. Schweet was a beloved family member and a dog’s best friend. She was born in a small farming town in Iowa on November 11, 1920.

Shirley was a 2nd Lieutenant in WWII in the women’s Marine Corps, and held a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology (Iowa State University, 1948). Shirley did post-graduate work in Art Education at the University of Kentucky and Morehead State University.

Shirley was a vibrant, passionate, and energetic woman with an artistic flair and a love of nature. Photography and quilting were absorbing hobbies, but those pursuits didn’t hold a candle to her devotion to her grandchildren. She had an unbridled enthusiasm for any activity remotely connected to any grandchild, whether it was sports, music, dancing, or art, and she was willing to be trounced by any one of them at video games when they were young. Over her lifespan, numerous canine and feline animals hit the jackpot when they were rescued and adopted by Shirley. She loved nothing more than being walked by a dog in one of Mercer Island’s beautiful parks.

Shirley passed away on July 30, 2014 at the age of 93 while residing, and being lovingly cared for by staff, at Sunrise of Mercer Island. Her husband, Richard S. Schweet predeceased her in 1967, as well as her oldest daughter, Lynn Gail Schweet, in 1968.

Shirley is survived by her son, Richard R. Schweet (Kirkland), and her daughter, Laurin Schweet and son-in-law, Don Thompson (Mercer Island), and five talented and spirited grandchildren, Ryan Schweet (Chicago, IL), Eric Thompson (Charlotte, NC), Andy Thompson (Mercer Island), Carley Schweet (New York, NY), and Evan Thompson (Mercer Island).

A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. at the Mercer Island Community Center. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Seattle King County Humane Society at http://www.seattlehumane.org