Shirley Ann Frank

onto the landing to welcome so many of us into her home, into her heart. Grand and engaging,

Shirley Ann Bassett Frank lived passionately, traveled extensively, and loved us fiercely. And,

true to form, she did it her way when she bid us farewell early in the morning of March 25, 2019.

From the comfort of home, her cherished children escorted her with love to embark on her

ultimate voyage.

A lifelong resident of Washington, Shirley was born on July 6, 1934 in Wenatchee to Band

Director Edward Bassett and school teacher Nada Forrester Bassett. She grew up in North Bend

and attended Mt. Si High School. Much of her indomitable spirit was forged on horseback in

long hot summers spent on her Uncle Cassell Forrester’s cattle ranch in Okanagon. After

graduating with a degree in interior design from Washington State University, Shirley moved to

Seattle, where she met and married Adolph Frank, a handsome Italian boy from Concrete,

Washington and son of Gaetano and Rafaela Francomano who emigrated from Calabria, Italy.

Shirley enjoyed Dolph’s long association with Nordstrom’s where he worked for over 35 years

managing several stores. Raising their two children in Seattle and Yakima, the family

vacationed on the cool, misty Pacific coast. In the mid 70’s they built Shirley’s treasured beach

house, Argonauta, on the cliff above Iron Springs. After Val and Jeff graduated high school,

Dolph and Shirley settled in Edmonds, where they lived for nearly 30 years. When Dolph passed

away in 2006 Shirley moved to Seattle, making friends throughout the Queen Anne, Lake

Washington, and University of Washington communities.

Shirley nurtured so many family members, friends, friends of the family, and families of friends in

her homes in Yakima and Edmonds, and most especially, at the beach house. Days were filled

with sand and clams, reading and tea, breeze and hummingbirds. Evenings were filled with

laughter and games, food and wine, music and lively debate. And the ocean - gray, pungent,

rolling. Always rolling. Healing.

Shirley’s activities were wide and varied, spanning reading, singing, the fine arts, entertaining,

traveling, jewelry making, shopping, fundraising, mentoring, and gardening. She played the

French Horn in the Seattle Symphony, served as a Cub Scout Den Mother in Yakima, curated an

art show at Seattle’s Frye Art Museum, sang in the Choir of the Sound, founded the Renaissance

Ladies service club in Edmonds, and started and participated in numerous book clubs. She grew

sublime dahlias at the beach and glorious flower baskets in Edmonds. She was a dauntless player of word games and a skilled poker player. She was enamored of ancient Egypt, cooked

masterfully, shared generously, didn't shy from dropping an occasional f-bomb, and gave several

Dachshunds a loving home. Shirley was an avid reader and supporter of independent bookstores;

she would be very pleased if her friends choose to remember her by patronizing your local

bookstore.

Shirley’s joy was her grandchildren. Jonathan, Hannah, and Emma call her “Gra”. Being Gra

was her greatest role, her highest calling, her deepest happiness.

Shirley is survived by her daughter, Valerie Gorder and her husband, Greg Gorder, son Jeffrey

Frank and his wife, Dina Yunker Frank, grandchildren Jonathan, Hannah, and Emma Gorder, all

of Seattle; brother Richard Bassett and his wife Georgia, of North Lopham, England; cousin

William Bassett of Lacey, Washington and his daughter Megan.

Mom-Gra-Shirley was unique in her style, her confidence, the broad range of her interests, and

the verve with which she lived. She brought energy wherever she arrived, arranged beauty in her

surroundings, was fearless in intellectual pursuits, outspoken with her opinions, and

unflinchingly loyal to her friends. She showed us how to enjoy what is around us, share the

bounty, embrace new experiences, and move grandly through our lives.

A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, 2019, at St. Ignatius Chapel

on the Seattle University campus in Seattle, Washington. A reception will follow at Casey

Atrium, also on the Seattle University campus. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to

New Beginnings or St. Francis House.