Shirley McGee Stewart

February 4, 1929 – January 21, 2022

Shirley Adele McGee Stewart, 92, passed on Jan. 21, 2022, in Othello, Washington at the Coventry House where she had resided for the past 15 months.

She was born to Chester McGee and Clyda (Ratcliff) McGee on Feb. 4, 1929, in Kennewick, Washington. The family homesteaded in White Bluffs Hanford area, where Shirley attended grade school. They were relocated in 1942 during the war while Hanford was being built. The family moved to Spokane, Washington, where Shirley graduated from Rogers High School in 1947. She attended WSU, studying home conomics.

During a break from school, she went to cook at the Brown Bros. Lambing Camp in Vantage, Washington, and that’s where she met the love of her life, Donald J. “Bud” Stewart. Bud and Shirley were married Jan. 3, 1951, in Ephrata, Washington. The couple moved to Smyrna in 1953, where they built their cattle ranch. Together they raised four children; Larry, Don, Elaine and Kerry. Shirley stayed busy raising their family and cooking for ranch crews. Her only stint away from home was working as the community’s librarian and for Millers Drug in Royal City.

Bud and Shirley ranched until their retirement in 1990. Upon retirement, they began to travel, attending many rodeos to watch their family compete, and they loved to spend their winters in Quartzsite, Arizona. Shirley loved sewing, quilting, cooking, playing cards and spending time with family and friends. She was a 4-H leader for 3 R’s 4-H Club and an original founder of the Crab Creek Cacklers, and she enjoyed her involvement with the Royal Moose Lodge, Cowbells, Washington State Cattlemen’s Association, Royal City’s Junior Miss Program and Royal Seniors. She attended the Royal City Methodist Church. She loved to watch her grandkids and great grandkids show livestock and horses at the county fairs. Shirley lived on the ranch for 67 years before moving to the Coventry house in Othello due to health reasons.

She will always be known for her friendly smile and the ability to spin the perfect stories. Shirley will be missed by all who knew and loved her. She is preceded in death by her husband Bud, her parents and her brother Dale. She is survived by her son Larry Stewart of Wickenburg, Arizona, son Don (Shannon) Stewart of Royal City, Washington, daughter Elaine (Mark) Fleshman of Othello, Washington, and daughter Kerry (Craig) Janett of Royal City, Washington; 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to the staff at The Coventry House for their excellent care and devotion to Shirley.

A private family graveside will be held Jan. 27, 2022, at Royal Memorial Gardens with a Celebration of Life gathering at a later date.