Shirley Carter Twining

Shirley C. Twining of Corvallis, Oregon went home to the Lord on March 23rd, 2026, at the age of 95. She was born in Manilla, Philippines, December 9, 1930, to James and Jane Carter. Her father was a Naval officer who was often deployed in the service of his country. As a child she lived in Hawaii, moving to Newport, Rhode Island just before the attack on Pearl Harbor. There, she used to collect the foil of gum wrappers to save for the war effort. She attended Holton Arms School in Washington DC through her Junior year and then moved with her family back to Hawaii to finish High School at Punahou . During that summer she met her husband to be, David Twining. Following her father’s retirement from the Navy, they moved to California where she attended Mills College for several years before transferring to Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles. She was primarily an oil painter and would return to painting throughout her life depicting still life, people, and landscapes with tremendous sensitivity. She and David were married on September 13th, 1952. David was by then an officer in the Marine Corps, and theirs was the life of a military family, sometimes one of struggle and often, one of adventure. During his deployments overseas and his tour in Vietnam, Shirley maintained their young family alone, facing the difficulties with grace and joy. Shirley and David moved to Corvallis, Oregon in 1982 where she completed her college degree and went on to obtain an MA in Art Therapy at Marylhurst University. She worked as an art therapist, helping many who were troubled to find a way to express themselves and come to healing. She began to learn Iconography and for many years was dedicated to the ministry of writing icons for churches, as well as for individuals. One that she wrote was sent to a monastery in Southeast Asia. Shirley’s depth of Faith in Christ and her membership in the Catholic Church as an adult convert, held tremendous significance in her life. She became a third order Franciscan and was a founding member and a leader of the Mission San Louis Rey Catholic Charismatic Prayer community where she was active for many years. For the past 40 years she has served in various capacities at St. Mary’s Parish in Corvallis including singing in the choir, serving as a lector, hospital minister, and in within the Caritas ministry. She also shared her deep wisdom with others, serving as a spiritual director. Shirley was a lover of all things living, plants, animals and most especially people. Everywhere she went she was a lifegiving friend. She will be greatly missed by her family, her parish, and by friends, here and in faraway places that, up until the last few years, she was able to keep in touch with. Shirley is survived by David, her devoted husband of 73 years; her children, Lori Twining, James Twining (Jeanne), Jane Twining-Blair (Preston) and Lacy Pitman (Greg). She is also survived by 9 Grandchildren: Melissa Mahon, Matthew Twining (Courtney), Stephanie Wolf (Devin), Nathan Twining (Lisa) and Gabriel Twining (Jaimee), Christopher Pitman, Mary Pitman, Kate Pitman and Claire Pitman (Patrick) and 12 great-grandchildren. A rosary will be prayed at 10:30 AM, followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:00 AM at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Corvallis, Oregon on April 15. A reception will follow, where family and friends are invited to gather in fellowship and remembrance. Interment at the Willamette National Cemetery will take place on April 16.

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Shirley Carter Twining

December 9, 1930 - March 23, 2026