Shirley Lake

Madison - Shirley Seaman Lake of Madison, WI passed away on June 22, 2018 at the age of 86 at Agrace HospiceCare in Fitchburg. She was a loving spouse and companion to Jim, her husband of 58 years; a nurturing mother to her son, his friends and several international students; and a community organizer with a deep sense of civic responsibility.

Born April 6, 1932 in Oberlin, Ohio to William and Frances Seaman, Shirley graduated from Oberlin College and earned a master's degree in social work from Case Western Reserve. She and Jim married in August of 1959, and soon thereafter moved to Madison. Shirley's training and early employment in social work strongly influenced her civic responsibility and engagement. She later managed the first campaign for State Representative Rebecca Young and subsequently served as an office manager and legislative aide in Young's office. Shirley served two terms as president of the Dudgeon-Monroe Neighborhood Association where she helped preserve the Dudgeon School building for non-profit use.

Shirley's diverse interests included active participation in local, state and national politics; genealogy research; enjoying summers at her mother's place in Maine; and time at the family cabin, enjoying the community on the shores of Lake Superior near Ontonagon Michigan. Shirley also enjoyed music, nature, hiking, biking and world travel. With husband Jim, she traveled throughout much of Europe and South East Asia, and many other locations, but most especially Thailand.

She is survived by her husband James; son David (Tonia) Lake, brother Richard (Susan) Seaman, nephews Paul Seaman, William Seaman, John Connor, and their families, many close friends, and the Phadoongisdhi family of Bangkok, Thailand. She is preceded in death by her parents, niece Sarah Dubuque, and nephew Tom Connor.

The family would like to thank Dr. Howard Bailey and staff at the Carbone Cancer Center, Dr Alexis Eastman, the staff at Agrace HospiceCare, and the vast multigenerational and international network of friends who enriched Shirley's life, and who provided care and support through her illness and since her passing.

A memorial service will be held at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens Evjue Commons in Madison at 2 p.m. Friday July 13, 2018, with a reception to follow the service. All are welcome to attend and to share memories of Shirley.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to The Sentencing Project, The Carter Center, Center for Victims of Torture or the UW Carbone Center.
https://www.sentencingproject.org/donate/
https://www.cartercenter.org/donate/index.html
https://www.cvt.org/what-you-can-do
https://www.uwhealth.org/uw-carbone-cancer-center/cancer/10252

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Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road Madison
(608) 238-3434