She was the daughter of Herbert “Tiny” and Helen Hollback of Ashtabula, Ohio. She was born in Toledo, Ohio on February 7, 1943.
She graduated Edgewood High school in Ashtabula and attended both Kent State and Ohio State universities. She was on campus at Kent State during the infamous National Guard shootings on May 4, 1970. While attending Ohio State she met her husband to be, William (Bill) Wortman.
She was employed with Reliance Electric until she and Bill bought the original Clay Street Inn
in Austinburg, Ohio, and made it into a thriving business. They journeyed on a houseboat on the St. Lawrence Seaway, down the Mississippi and gradually made their way to Fort Myers, Florida. They lived on the houseboat for a time before settling in Flagler Beach. After moving to Florida, she worked at Sea Ray for 10 years before completely retiring to travel. It was at that time that she and Bill began to enjoy many ventures and to travel extensively together. Their travels included a South American adventure to see pink dolphins, Emperor penguins, and they took many Caribbean cruises. Their worldly travels also included Eastern Europe, Guatemala, Yucatan, and Peru. Shirley always remarked that the “white cliffs of Dover” were not white. They enjoyed an Alaskan cruise; but their favorite vacation site was Mexico where over the years they visited many times– Puerto Vallarta, Nuevo Vallarta, Cozumel, Cancun, and Playa del Mar. Younger travel adventures included camping in the Whiskey River area of Northern Canada just to get some good fish. Competing with the bears for the fish was not Sissy’s idea of a fun camping trip. She and Bill also toured the Everglades with brother, Dennis, in a canoe. It really became a fun time when they were tossing oranges at the alligators that proceeded to follow the canoe. Over the years, any camping trip in the mountains of West Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Yellowstone, or Montana did not happen without a white-water trip. Again, I (Judy) was there for those too. She got the most out of every adventure.
Family was very important to Shirley and she loved having family members visit her home. She would always enjoy taking them to visit the various attractions of the area including Disney World and the Alligator Farm. Shirley and her mother were very close. She cared for her mother until her passing. Shirley and Bill opened their home to any family that wanted to visit. She had beautiful patio gardens that she designed and maintained herself. Shirley was an excellent seamstress. She made clothes for her sisters including homecoming gowns, prom dresses, wedding gowns, school clothes and she made draperies for her home. She participated in the Shoebox Samaritan's Purse Program via the Flagler Community Church where she was a member. She loved to boat and deep-sea fish. It was a family joke that she caught the biggest fish whenever they went fishing. In fact, displayed on her wall is proof of one of her adventures. It is a nine-foot, 100-pound Sail fish caught in the Banderas bay off the coast of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. She and Bill would often catch large tuna or marlin and give them to the locals for food. Sissy had a love of life that was not surpassed by many. Even the resort staff in Mexico remembered the “Señora Sissy” when she returned “home” especially Paradise Village which was her favorite. I know. I (Judy) spent many weeks there with her, mom, and Bill.
Shirley is survived by her sisters, Judy Knight (Bernard “Ray”) of Austinburg, Ohio, Anita Hollback of Ashtabula, Ohio, and a brother Dennis Hollback of Ashtabula, Ohio. She is survived by many beloved Aunts, Uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews on both her and Bill’s side of the family.
Shirley was preceded in death by her husband, Bill, her parents, and a sister, Rhonda Sue Fisher and other nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in Shirley’s memory to the Samaritans Purse Shoebox organization. https://www.samaritanspurse.org/ or to the family in care of the Craig Flagler Palms Funeral Home.
A memorial service celebrating her life will be May 23, 2021 at 3:30 PM at the Austinburg Town Hall, 2790 OH-307 in Austinburg, where the family will be receiving friends from 2:00-3:30PM.
Sissy lived flowers and hats, please wear your festive colors and spring bonnet or hat in her honor.
Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.craigflaglerpalms.com
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