Mary Kimberly Shirk
Mary Kimberly Shirk | |
|---|---|
 Mary Emma Kimberly (later Shirk), from the 1904 yearbook of Smith College | |
| Born | Mary Emma Kimberly April 2, 1880 Neenah, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | October 15, 1979 (aged 99) Redlands, California, U.S. |
| Occupations | Philanthropist, clubwoman |
| Parent | John A. Kimberly |
Mary Emma Kimberly Shirk (April 2, 1880[1] – October 15, 1979) was an American philanthropist and clubwoman, based in Redlands, California. Her home, Kimberly Crest, is a historic house open for tours. She was interim president of Scripps College during World War II.
Early life and education
Kimberly was born in Neenah, Wisconsin,[2] the youngest of the seven children of John Alfred Kimberly and Helen Cheney Kimberly. Her father was president of Kimberly-Clark, a paper goods manufacturer.[3] She graduated from Smith College in 1904.[4]
Career
Shirk moved back to Redlands, California, to live with her parents, after her husband died in 1919.[5] She was president of the Contemporary Club from 1926 to 1928 and sponsored the Kimberly Juniors, a club for teens that her mother founded. She was a trustee of Scripps College and acting president of the college from 1942 to 1944, during World War II.[6][7]
Shirk served on the board of directors of the Redlands Community Hospital.[8] She was active in the YWCA, the American Association of University Women (AAUW), the Assistance League and the Lincoln Shrine Association.[9] She and her sister were among the founders of the Paine Art Center and Gardens in Wisconsin.[5][10] She hosted a community tree-lighting event at her Redlands home every December.[11] She was on the board of the Webb School for Boys and a fellow of the University of Redlands.[2]
Shirk enjoyed international travel. She made a world tour in 1932, and toured through Europe with Grace Morrison Poole in 1933. She visited Australia and New Zealand in 1936.[3]
Shirk received several local awards, including the Elks Civic Award in 1959 and the Soroptimist Club's first "Woman of the Year" award.[9] She received honorary doctorates from Smith College[12] and the University of Redlands.[13]
Personal life and legacy
Kimberly married Elbert Walker Shirk in 1905; he was present of a cement company in Indiana. He was a naval aviator in World War I and died in 1919.[5] Her older sister Jessie Kimberly Paine, with whom she lived in their later years, died in 1973 at age 100.[14] Mary Kimberly Shirk died in 1979, at the age of 99, in Redlands.[2] Her home, Kimberly Crest, is a now historic home in Redlands, open for rentals and tours.[5][15] The household's full-time cook, Anne Canright, lived to be 102 and was one of the first docents at the historic site.[16][17]
References
- ^ Some sources give 1881 as her birth year; her gravestone has the 1880 date, which is also the date in her newspaper obituary.
- ^ a b c "Philanthropist Mary K. Shirk dies in Redlands". The San Bernardino County Sun. 1979-10-16. p. 28. Retrieved 2025-10-20 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Shirk, Mary Emma Kimberly (1881-1979)". – Redlands Area Historical Society. Retrieved 2025-10-19.
- ^ Smith College, Class of 1904 (1904 yearbook): 30, via Internet Archive.
- ^ a b c d Spiller, Steve. "Mary Kimberly Shirk: The Reality of Her Vision". Fortnightly Club of Redlands. Retrieved 2025-10-19.
- ^ Kelly, C. (2014-03-12). "Mary Kimberly Shirk: Interim President 1942–1944". Scripps College in Claremont, California. Retrieved 2025-10-19.
- ^ "Redlands Univ. Confers Honorary Degree on Acting Scripps Head as Junior Clubs Organizer". Progress-Bulletin. 1943-05-24. p. 5. Retrieved 2025-10-20 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mary Kimberly-Shirk Award Recipients". Redlands Community Hospital. Retrieved 2025-10-19.
- ^ a b "Mrs. Shirk, A. R. Schultz, Jr. Honored for Civic Leadership". Redlands Daily Facts. 1960-06-02. p. 5. Retrieved 2025-10-20 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mrs. Elbert W. Shirk". The Oshkosh Northwestern. 1979-10-31. p. 26. Retrieved 2025-10-20 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ MacDuff, Cassie (1995-12-04). "Tradition sustains itself as 85-foot tree is set aglow". The San Bernardino County Sun. p. 9. Retrieved 2025-10-20 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mrs. Shirk Awarded Honorary Degree by Alma Mater at Rite". The San Bernardino County Sun. 1950-06-04. p. 12. Retrieved 2025-10-20 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Anderson Awards U.R. Degrees". Redlands Daily Facts. 1943-05-24. p. 5. Retrieved 2025-10-20 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Venturini, Angie (1993-05-29). "Paines were philanthropists". The Oshkosh Northwestern. p. 66. Retrieved 2025-10-20 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Hernandez, Kristina (2016-02-14). "Shirk love letters displayed on Valentine's Day at Kimberly Crest". Redlands Daily Facts. Retrieved 2025-10-19.
- ^ Brown, Pat (1985-01-29). "Kimberly Crest caretaker takes care with her marmalade". The San Bernardino County Sun. p. 17. Retrieved 2025-10-20 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Anne Canright, longtime Kimberly Crest supporter, dies at 102". Redlands Daily Facts. 2015-03-18. Retrieved 2025-10-20.