Shirley Mae (Harmony) Synon was born on Sept. 10, 1929, in Kemmerer, to Henry and Jessie (Vodneck) Harmony. She grew up in the coal mining camps, including Blazon, before moving to Diamondville. Shirley was the eldest of three children.
In May of 1945, at 15, Shirley suffered the loss of her father.
She completed her education, graduating from Kemmerer High School — where she attended most school functions, dances and parties — in May of 1947. After high school, Shirley entered nursing school and began her 30-plus year nursing career, which included working at The Dalles General Hospital as the evening charge and maternity nurse, and then working at Columbia Park State Hospital until its closure.
In December of 1948, Shirley met Benjamin Harrison Synon. After finishing nursing school, they married at the Harmony family home in Diamondville on Feb. 23, 1951. Ben’s work with the Union Pacific Railroad took them to Oregon, Washington and Idaho. They settled in The Dalles, Oregon in 1955.
In 1976, Ben and Shirley bought their first cherry orchard. Their son joined the operation after graduating college and together expanded Synon Orchards.
Shirley was an avid and successful gardener, cook, baker and loved to travel. Ben and Shirley were able to travel to Europe with others from church. Her favorite was the trip to the Holy Lands. She was a longtime parishioner of St. Peter Catholic Church in The Dalles, Oregon.
Shirley is survived by her daughter, Cheryl; and husband, Mitchell; son, Ben, and his wife, Susan; daughter, Chrystie, and her husband Randy; 12 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, daughter, great-grandson and husband.
Viewing visitation will be held at Spencer, Libby and Powell from 3-7 p.m., on Thursday, June 15. Funeral services will be held on Friday, June 16, with recitation of the Rosary starting at 10:30 a.m. Funeral mass and graveside services will follow at 11 a.m. at St. Peter Catholic Church in The Dalles, Oregon.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to St. Peter Catholic Church in The Dalles.
