Shirley Sergent, beloved wife and best friend of Dan Sergent, passed away peacefully in a hospital near their home in Hollister on Dec. 30th, after a difficult six-month illness. She was a devoted wife, a life-long super caring mother to her children and a terrific musician.
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, Mr. Frank Robb and Mrs. Edith Bartl Robb, her sister Marian Robb Cynkar and her daughter, Lorie Kowal. She is survived by her husband of 46 years, Dan, and loving daughters, Nancy Riggs and Kathy (Ben) Alvarez, adoring grandchildren, Ronald Hernandez, Daniel Kowal, Alex Alvarez and Amanda Alvarez and great grandchildren, Hailey and Izak Hernandez.
Shirley was born and raised in San Francisco in the good times. She graduated from Balboa High School in 1947 and was inducted into their Hall of Merit in 2003. Even as a young girl she was acclaimed for her singing and piano and organ playing. One San Francisco newspaper described her as “the little girl with the golden voice.” As a young teenager, during WWII, she performed in no less than 450 Army and Navy USO shows in San Francisco and in the Golden Gate Theater and similar venues. When a high school junior, she was selected to represent the City and its schools as the only soloist to perform at the Founding Conference of the United Nations in 1946 in San Francisco. She continued her music over the years, singing and playing the piano in various clubs, hotels and restaurants, including the Windsor Hotel in Ft. Bragg, the Old Plantation in Palo Alto, the Villa Chartier in San Mateo and the Farm House in Mountain View. She raised her family on the Peninsula and lived in England for a year when her husband, Dan, a Ford Aerospace Engineer, was working there. After her children were grown, she returned to her music as the pianist, frequently helping manage the orchestra, with the San Benito Stage Co., where she served on the board of directors for over 10 years, the last three as president. She performed there in many musicals. Most recently, she had a major acting-only role in “The Man Who Came to Dinner.”
She enjoyed her activities with the “Mothers of all Faiths” ladies club for many decades, as well as camping out on the beaches and mountains with Dan.
All through the years, Shirley tirelessly entertained at her own parties and at others. Her aim was always to make people around her happy. You couldn’t name a song or a tune from the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s that she didn’t know. She was always upbeat, cheerful and quick to laugh. She was the quintessential optimist. She hurdled all that life thrust at her and managed to ride the crest of the wave. Shirley loved her life, her family and her music. As they say, she really had her act together.
Now she’s taken her act on the road. Surely she’s got a new gig at the Big Palace.
Memorial services will be held on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 1:00 P.M. at Black Cooper Sander Funeral Home in Hollister. Donations are preferred to San Benito Stage Company, PO Box 1893, Hollister, CA 95024
