Shirley Jean Livengood passed away at the age of 92 in Kirkland, Wash., on Feb. 17, 2017, with her sons by her side. Born Shirley Jean Hammond in Kelso, Wash., to William Hammond and Abigail Grenfell Hammond on Sept. 15, 1924, she was the third of three children. Her older brother was Robert “Bob” Hammond of Logan, Utah and her sister was Jewell Hammond Westervelt of Kelso. Shirley was raised in Kelso and graduated from Kelso High School.
After high school, she received her Associate of Arts from Lower Columbia, before enlisting in the WAVES where she was stationed in San Diego. For her service she received the World War II Victory Medal and the American Area Campaign Medal. After her honorable discharge, she served as a Troop Leader for the Girl Scouts and then continued her education graduating from the College of Puget Sound (now University of Puget Sound) in Tacoma with a Bachelor’s Degree. While at university, she served as the President of Andreson Hall.
After graduation, Shirley began her career at the Department of Social and Health Services where she worked as a Case Manager. While there, she met and eventually married Roy A. Livengood in 1960. In 1961, they had their first son, John Livengood, and two years later their second son, Scott Livengood, was born. Both boys were born in Longview, Wash. and the family in time moved to Centralia for a few years before moving to Raymond where Shirley lived for almost 50 years.
In Raymond, Shirley worked at the Employment Security Department until she retired. She was an active member of the Methodist Church, which eventually became the United Church of Raymond. She served in leadership roles at the church, taught Sunday School and served as President for several terms for the local chapter of the United Methodist Women. She also was active in her child’s lives, including serving as Den Mother for their Cub Scout Troup. After retirement, she continued to give back to her community, volunteering in various ways, including tutoring English as a Second Language for those who had immigrated to the area.
Shirley was known for her dry and sometimes sarcastic sense of humor, as well as her compassion and caring for others. She was a religious woman who treated others with respect and taught her sons the value of diversity, acceptance and looking for the good in everyone. She was admired by many for the love and compassion she showed to her husband of 33 years during his final years as he suffered from the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease. She took care of him in their home and when he needed additional support, she continued to visit him each and every day. One of her proudest moments was when she finally (her words) became a grandmother (nana) at the age of 90. She was a loving daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother and nana and will be greatly missed.
Shirley was preceded in death by her husband, Roy A. Livengood, parents William and Abigail Grenfell Hammond, and siblings, Robert Hammond and Jewell Hammond Westervelt. She is survived by her sons, John Livengood of Raymond, Scott Livengood of Woodinville and son-in-law, Ricardo Rizo-Ruiz, and grandson, Sebastian William Livengood-Rizo, of Woodinville, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Memorial services for Shirley Livengood will be held Saturday, Feb. 25, at 2 p.m. at the South Bend United Methodist Church at 124 Spruce St., South Bend, WA 98586. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Alpha Supported Living Services at 16030 Juanita-Woodinville Way NE, Bothell, WA 98011 or Raymond Fire Department Ambulance Fund at 212 Commercial Street, Raymond, WA 98577.
