Shirley Strickler grew up in a military family and moved every couple of years until they settled in Bakersfield where eventually she married and raised four daughters. She went back to school when her youngest was 5 years old and became a Registered Nurse, eventually earning a Master’s Degree in Nursing. She worked at Kern Medical for 27 years as a Medical Surgical Nurse, Nurse Educator, and the last few years as Director of the Medical/Surgical Units. She retired to Carpinteria 10 years ago.

Shirley has always volunteered for various organizations and was looking for a new opportunity when she saw an ad for Compassionate Care of Carpinteria and decided to apply to the Patient Care Volunteer training program in 2019. She has helped many of our patients since then and in 2021, Shirley trained as an Advance Care Specialist, which is something she feels very passionate about and has since facilitated several ACP trainings.

Through her work with our patients, Shirley feels she has a new appreciation for her own life and her family and support system. Particularly dealing with clients completing their Advance Directives, where she comes across so many people who have no one, she feels very fortunate to know that her family is there for her.

In her spare time, Shirley likes to read and volunteers as a “Seal Watcher” at the Seal Sanctuary in Carpinteria.