Shirlee Mae (Clark) King
Shirlee Mae King, 82, longtime Tempe resident and educator, died March 1, 2012, in Tempe, Ariz. Shirlee was born Oct. 25, 1929, to James J. Clark and Velma Clark (King).
Shirlee attended Roosevelt Grammar School and graduated co-valedictorian from Phoenix Union High School. She earned her bachelor’s, master's and doctorate degrees in education at Arizona State University. She was a teacher, librarian and library-services director. She served in offices of the Arizona State Library Association and Board of American Education Media Association.
At her retirement, Gov. Rose Mofford declared May 20, 1990, "Shirlee Clark King Day."
She was a founding member of the Tempe Sister Cities Board and volunteered at Hackett House. She helped in the planning and development of Tempe Town Lake as a member of the Rio Salado Planning Board, Tempe Municipal Arts Commission and Tempe Art Commission. She served on Tempe Planning and Zoning committees. She supported Tempe Impact Education Foundation and Friends Helping Friends (assisting school personnel with catastrophic illness).
She was past president of Tempe Business and Professional Women's Club and founding member of Zonta Club of the East Valley, currently serving as vice-chair. She volunteered at the Tempe Historical Museum. She was a member of Tempe First United Methodist Church and chair of the Church and Society Committee and Tempe's Homeless Outreach Program Effort (HOPE).
