Shirley Lou Puckett Dickens

Jan 23, 1936 -

Jan 18, 2020

Shirley was born on Jan. 23, 1936, to Prebble Mae Johnson Puckett and Cyrus Wells Puckett, in Trinidad, Colo. A few years later, her family moved to Amarillo, Texas. She had an older brother and sister, O.C. and Dorothy, and a younger sister, Betty. She also had an older brother on her father's side, Everett.

Shirley graduated from Amarillo High School in 1954, and entered the Northwest Texas Hospital School of Nursing. She married John C. Dickens in 1956, and they moved to Los Angeles, Calif. They returned to Amarillo so that Shirley could finish her nursing degree in 1959, then moved back to L.A., where they started their family. In 1964, the family moved to Santa Barbara, Calif.

After vacationing in Alaska and falling in love with the state, the family moved to Anchorage in 1970. Shirley started working at Providence Hospital the same year, serving with several different departments until her retirement in 2006, including the ICU, the IV team and the outpatient Infusion Center.

Shirley was a member of the Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, where she was active in many different volunteer positions over the years. She also volunteered at the Alaska Literacy Program, increasing her involvement after her retirement, and she enthusiastically and wholeheartedly supported its mission and her many students. Shirley was a lifelong learner and she loved reading, supporting the arts and travel. She was also a wonderful cook and is especially remembered for her homemade soups that nourished both body and soul.

Shirley was friendly, outgoing and above all, extraordinarily kind and compassionate. She was welcoming to everyone she met, and genuinely cared for and was interested in people and their lives. She also had a deep love of nature, its beauty and the cycle of the seasons. So many people remember the warmth of her personality, her twinkling eyes and the smile that lit up her face. She often said that "what we are here for … is to help each other along the way as we are able" and encouraged everyone to "take some and pass it on - love, support, resources, whatever, but share."

Shirley died on Jan. 18, 2020, at Providence Hospital. Her Celebration of Life service was originally scheduled for April 2020 but was postponed because of the pandemic. A virtual Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, at 11 a.m. For more information, contact the Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 907-248-3737 or www.anchorageuuf.org.

Shirley is survived by her children, John Dickens (Agnes Chaliak) and Ruth Greenwood; beloved nieces and nephews; and many friends who became chosen family. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alaska Literacy Program at www.alaskaliteracyprogram.org.