1934 – 2015

VENTURA, Calif. — Shirley M. Baden, of Ventura, Calif., passed away at the age of 80 on Friday, Nov. 6, 2015.

Shirley was born on Nov. 29, 1934, in Auburn. She was one of four children born to Donald Dean and Anne Campbell. Shirley and her siblings, Dorothy, Ginger and Donald Jr., grew up in the family home in Auburn. In 1954, Shirley graduated from Edward Little High School. While attending school, she met her husband Robert Baden; they were later married on Sept. 25, 1954. The couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary together in September 2014.

Shirley and Robert moved to California in 1956, and settled in Ventura in 1963. The couple lived together in the same residence for more than 45 years; during that time they developed exceptional friendships with neighbors who shared equal or similar residence tenures. As a young lady, Shirley shared her great love of the outdoors with her husband Robert; they preferred camping to most other activities. In her later years, she enjoyed traveling to Alaska, Japan, Tahiti, and other wild and scenic destinations. She had a great love for the companionship of her beloved and beautiful Malamute dogs. She enjoyed woodworking projects with her husband Robert; together they crafted beautiful furniture pieces, bowls, and a variety of other beautiful items.

Shirley was a kind and caring person; she had polite words and kind thoughts for almost everyone. She was admired and loved by many friends and relatives throughout her life. She was always quick with a smile and a kind thought or two but held her personal opinions dearly. She had a great love of genealogy, and after she retired, she spent countless hours dedicated to finding family roots on all sides. She became a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution organization, serving as the secretary for the local chapter.

Shirley worked in several career capacities during her life. She started her working life in California as a key-punch operator and “computer operator” (wiring computer boards for specific tasks) for the Southern California Gas Co. Later, she worked for a number of years in various bookkeeping and accounting positions in the Ventura area. In the early 1970s, she served as the volunteer librarian at Saticoy Elementary School in Ventura. Later, she would be hired as the school’s secretary, a job she loved and cherished. She was transferred to Juanamaria Elementary School, and served as the school secretary until she retired. She was loved and admired by many of her co-workers and peers throughout her career with the school district. She was honored as “Secretary of the Year” — it was an award that she was very proud of for the remainder of her life.

She is survived by her brother, Donald Dean Jr.; her loving sons and their wives, Daniel Baden and Mei Mei Win Baden, and Roger Baden and Beth Baden; two loving grandsons and one granddaughter, Russell Baden, Curtis Baden and Emi Terada; several nieces and nephews; grandnieces and grandnephews; and several great-grandnieces and great-grandnephews.