Shirley Peletz-Ashe

April 7, 1928 – March 27, 2019

Shirley Peletz-Ashe (nee Shirley Ann Gates) passed away peacefully in her beloved San Francisco on March 27, 2019, at the age of 90. Shirley is survived by family members spanning three generations: her three children (Nan Peletz, Michael Peletz, and Steven Peletz); her two daughters-in-law (Kyra Minninger and Susan Peletz); her eight grandchildren (Zachary Peletz, Alexander Peletz, Sara Peletz, David Peletz, Addie McClintock, Will Hearst, and Emma Jones); and her two great granddaughters (Phoebe and Piper McClintock). A daughter, Amanda Peletz, predeceased Shirley, as did her two brothers, Dick and Larry Gates.

Shirley was born in Chicago, Illinois on April 7, 1928 to George Gates and Rita McCabe. Her father’s jobs in the construction industry involved the family in frequent moves: first to Iowa and Wisconsin, and subsequently to Phoenix, Pasadena, and Burlingame, where she attended Burlingame High, graduating in 1946. Shortly after graduation she worked at the Burlingame construction firm of Parker, Steffens, and Pierce, where she met her future husband Cyril (Cy) Peletz. Shirley and Cy married in 1948, living first in Park Merced (San Francisco), then in Burlingame and Hillsborough, where they raised four children. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1970. Much later, in 2016, after Cy divorced his second wife at the age of 97, Shirley and Cy renewed their decades-old friendship and could be seen having weekly lunches together and holding hands. Shirley moved to San Francisco in the early 1970s and enjoyed a long-term relationship with architect Worley K. Wong. She subsequently married highschool sweetheart Robert (Bob) Ashe, with whom she lived in Lincoln, California, before moving back to San Francisco. Along the way she obtained a real estate license and enjoyed success as an agent at McGuire Real Estate and TRI-Coldwell Banker.

Shirley loved to travel. In 1963 she and her then husband Cy took their four children for an extended trip to Europe, which instilled in all of their children a life-long love of travel and exploration. In later years, she travelled to Hawaii, Malta, Rome, and Hong Kong. Her many hobbies included playing and teaching Mahjong, and designing jewelry, which allowed her to indulge her flair for color, style, decoration, and fashion to great effect. She had a quick, sharp wit and an indomitable, vivacious spirit, and will be remembered for always being available to family and friends in need. She also enjoyed a number of life-long friendships, and felt particularly blessed that she had been close friends with Phyllis K. Friedman for some seventy years. Even when her declining health imposed serious limitations on her mobility, she remained positive and upbeat, alert, and quick to make a joke. Her joie de vivre will be greatly missed and long remembered.

In lieu of flowers, donations in honor of Shirley may be sent to:

SSNC (Senior Services for Northern California)

1525 Post Street, San Francisco, CA 94109-6567