Shirley Fogarty, age 95, of Butte, Montana

Shirley “Mac” MacDonald Fogarty entered the world on Halloween, 1927 and left us on April 20, 2023.

In 1930, her parents divorced and the Court awarded custody of Shirley and her three older siblings to her father. They traveled between Utah and Montana as he looked for work in the mines. Left to manage themselves while their dad was on shift, the children tended each other. In one “helpful” episode, her brother washed her hair in copper water, which resulted in the loss of her blond curls and the replacement of straight brown tresses. When she was six, her father surrendered them to the Montana State Orphans Home in Twin Bridges with the agreement he would pay $25/month and they would not be adopted. She learned early how to fight and to overcome challenges. Once after being punished for not eating the lumpy breakfast cereal, she made a deal with a friend who in exchange for eating the miserable cereal would be rewarded with all Shirley’s desserts. Thus was the genesis of her lifelong love of sweets. When she was 13, her father was finally able to care for her and moved her to Butte.

From childhood, Shirley knew she wanted to help ease others’ suffering, so after graduating high school, she earned her nursing degree from Carroll College and worked in various hospitals in Butte and Portland, Oregon, among them, her favorite being Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

She married William Albert Fogarty in 1951 and had two daughters. She devoted herself to being the mother she never had, and remained active as a volunteer with the Denny Driscoll Boys Home and was a steady source of comfort to any ailing friend or neighbor.

Curious by nature, Shirley pursued many interests. She was an avid reader and rock hound and used her lapidary skills to transform rocks into beautiful stone jewelry that she freely gave away. She also knew how to bead, carve wood, upholster, hook rugs, crochet, and grow a garden. One of her pleasures was to stroll the aisle of a hardware store admiring all the tools. She loved all animals, and no stray was ever turned away. Never wanting to be without an interesting tidbit to share, she read National Geographic, Science Digest, Popular Mechanics, Sunset, Archeology, Readers Digest, and Farmers’ Almanac and myriad books.

Shirley had a playful spirit and often entertained her neighbors by dressing as a leprechaun or alien on Halloween, and she always donned a Santa hat and danced about during the Christmas buffet she and her close friend Frank Lehmann hosted for anyone who wanted to stop by for a plate of ham or turkey and a highball. She was always game for an adventure whether it was climbing the East Ridge, canoeing rapids or sailing over the Bridgers in a glider.

Shirley is survived by her daughter, Danelle Fogarty and son-in-law, Cary Gubler, daughter, Susan Schwab, niece, Terry Long McKay, David O’Farrell, and Shu Ming, Hsin, Oliver, and Nicholas Huang.

Many thanks to everyone at the Crest Nursing Home who kept her spirits up when her body was flagging.

Shirley will always be remembered for her unwavering positive attitude, her inquisitive mind, and her willingness to laugh through adversity. She always said the only disability in life was a bad attitude. And her parting words, whether in person or in a note were HAVE MORE FUN!