Shirley Kolouch Robb

Shirley Kolouch Robb

"To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure." - Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

On November 11, 2024, Shirley Kolouch Robb, 91, left her physical body behind in Charleston, SC to depart on her next great adventure. She was born in Crete, Nebraska, and still has Czech relatives in that area.

Shirley, named for child actress Shirley Temple, was known as Shirley, Mom, Grandma Robb, Grandma Shirley, Aunt Shirley or Miss Shirley, depending on who was speaking to her. She was always comfortable managing life on her own and lived independently until a few months ago. Her five children - Marcia, Scott, Judy, Jim and Rebecca - started a weekly video family call in April 2020 to help during Covid and kept it going. Although as adults, we were scattered far and wide, technology and Mom knitted us closer together.

Shirley was a member of Mensa and a lifelong learner who enjoyed interesting TV shows and movies and read endless books. She was a master knitter who taught many students the craft. One of her creations, a sweater vest meant to mimic one made by Eleanor Roosevelt, was worn by Kenneth Branaugh in the movie Warm Springs. Shirley's last pile of knitted blankets, completed just months ago, will be donated to those in assisted living or the hospital. She always looked for ways to help others and was generous with donations, such as by knitting preemie hats and socks to donate to various organizations. She greatly admired Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter and was an avid supporter of The Carter Center in Georgia.

During her last few months, Shirley introduced herself to her caregivers by proclaiming that she was 91 years old and had 5 children, 16 grandchildren and17 great grandchildren. Although she wasn't able to see and get to know all of them as well as she might have liked to, she had a story or two to share about most of them and was very proud of her progeny.

Children were an absolute joy for Shirley. In addition to having "all those children" of her own, she taught preschool in California and later worked at the Georgia State University Child Development Center for many years. In between, she worked for J.C. Penney stores in Denver, Colorado and Springfield, Virginia. From Arizona to California to Colorado to Virginia to Georgia and then to South Carolina, Shirley collected many dear friends along the way. Her family is especially grateful to her neighbors in Decatur who bonded as part of her Covid bubble and supported her in endless ways, as well as those in Mt. Pleasant who welcomed her into their community.

In addition to being a voracious reader, Shirley had a knack for painting and for making interesting crafts out of simple supplies - such as ice cube candles poured in milk cartons and ornaments from egg cartons. She believed a child's most important toys were crayons, Play Doh, Legos and, of course, books. Whenever she moved to a new town, the first thing she did was go to the library to get the family new library cards.

Shirley hated to be the center of attention or the cause of any fuss, so she did not want a memorial service. Therefore, if you were lucky enough to cross paths with our Mom, Shirley, please consider honoring her life and legacy by reading a book, visiting a library, donating some kid's books to a tiny free library or thrift store, listening to Kris Kristofferson or Mozart's Requiem or learning to knit. And then please treat yourself to a piece of dark chocolate, a glass of red wine or some chocolate ice cream in her honor. If you feel called to make a financial donation in her honor, please consider her favorite charity, The Carter Center.

Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted online at mcalister-smith.com/.

Arrangements have been entrusted to McAlister-Smith Funeral and Cremation, 2501 Bees Ferry Road, Charleston, SC 29414, (843) 722-8371.