From Melinda Morris Perrin:
In memoriam: It is with great sadness that I pass along this information. The Rev. Shirley Ann Ranck, the godmother of the UU women’s spirituality movement and author of the curriculum, “Cakes for the Queen of Heaven” joined the Heavenly Sisters, appropriately on Mother’s Day, May 14, 2023. She was 92. Shirley was a woman who dared, a great friend to those who knew her, and an inspiration to generations who followed. Quite literally, she changed my life.
From Gretchen Ohmann:
Cakes changed my life as well. I'd taken the course and was part of a wonderful group of women in South Bend, Indiana who continued to gather after Cakes, and who are still my sisters. I had the great honor of serving with Shirley when we were co-conveners of UUWR together for a few years. She mentored me through multiple types of situations along the way, and was always so gracious, decisive and kind. I had the opportunity to help with publication of the revised Cakes in 2007 and 2008. We began selling Cakes online, and that was the beginning of the Store we have now.
We've talked with so many women who have had transformative Cakes experiences. Let us know if you'd like to share your story.
Her family has said they'll consider whether to hold a memorial service sometime later. UUWR did display a small poster of Shirley at our exhibit hall booth. Jerrie Hildebrand of CUUPS made sure she was named at their Summer Solstice ritual. The staff group preparing the annual memorial list didn't hear about Shirley's passing in time to include her in the official materials. However, Rev. Susan Frederick Gray did read Shirley's name during Service of the Living Tradition, at the end of the list along with a couple of other people who had passed recently. They will all be included in the memorial materials during GA 2024, which will be 100% virtual.
Links to some of Shirley's sermons
Online obituary with address to send condolences.
Memorial poster (22MB file, PDF)
