Mary Shirer Obituary

Mary Louise Welsh Shirer, Mary Lou Shirer, 90, born September 12, 1919, passed away on January 25th in Dallas after a long battle with Alzheimer's. Mary Lou insisted that there be no funeral, but instead a party with laughter and Mariachi's to celebrate her wonderful life. A joyful celebration of Mary Lou's amazing life was held on February 20th in Dallas. Mary Lou was born in Medford, Massachusetts and graduated from Medford High School and later from Boston University with a B.S. Mary Lou completed graduate studies at Harvard and the Mayo Clinic. She served in the Army Medical Corp in WWII as a physical therapist at Fitzsimons Hospital in Denver treating soldiers from Pearl Harbor. Mary Lou was very proud of her WWII service and her name is listed on the WWII Women's Memorial in Washington, D.C. After her military service Mary Lou treated many polio patients prior to discovery of a polio vaccine. Many of her co-workers tagged her as "Typhoid Mary" because of her dedication to helping polio victims. Mary Lou was married to the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin Shirer, Jr. Mary Lou and Ben lived and worked in Batavia, Illinois and also traveled extensively throughout the world including Europe, India, Australia, and Central/SouthAmerica. Ben and Mary Lou were in the process of moving to Austin, Texas when Ben unexpectedly passed away in 1968. Mary Lou moved to Austin at that time with her two youngest children, Bill and Susan. Mary Lou took classes at the University of Texas Business School and also UT's Law School to prepare for a career change from physical therapy to Real Estate. Mary Lou ran a successful real estate company in Austin for 20 years before semi-retiring at age 70. Mary Lou loved to learn and continued to take classes at UT and travel with Elderhostel. At 75 she traveled with Elderhostel to many locations including China and Big Bend. Mary Lou moved to Dallas in 1997 to be close to family. She is survived by five children; Kathy Nothacker (of Naperville, Illinois), Dr. Bruce Shirer (of La Jolla, California), Mary Roca (of Chatham, Massachusetts) and their families; and Bill and Christine Shirer (of Dallas) and their daughters Erika and Audrey; and Susan Shirer Clarkson, her husband Doug (of Dallas), and their children Isabella and Ian. Mary Lou donated her body to UT Southwestern/Dallas. Her ashes will ultimately be interred in the Dallas Veteran's Cemetery. Mary Lou was a proud member of Mensa; she also loved all kinds of dancing; jitterbug, clogging, square dancing, etc. She was a naturally gifted dancer. She loved traveling, tennis, being outside, and meeting people. Mary Lou would meet people with a big hug and a "COME IN THIS HOUSE!" greeting. Mary Lou always said that "If you have a smile on your face than you are well dressed" (and she was); she embraced life and being with people, and was a Force in so many lives. Mary Lou Shirer was very loved and will be deeply missed.