Shirley Rae Klug

Shirley Rae Klug (née Huffman), beloved mother, grandmother, neighbor, volunteer, and lifelong Oregonian, passed away peacefully on February 21, 2026, at the age of 90½ years old. She was born at home in John Day, Oregon, on June 2, 1935, delivered with the help of her grandmother, a nurse, because medical help was simply too far away to reach in time. It was an Oregon beginning to a truly Oregon life.

Shirley was preceded in death by her mother Helen Huffman; her father Clint Huffman; her brothers Clint and John; her husband Richard Klug; and, most painfully, her eldest son Jack Klug.

During the Great Depression, Shirley’s family moved from John Day to Maupin, Oregon, transporting their belongings and furniture by freight train so her father could find work as a cook in White Salmon, Washington. The family later settled in Hood River before eventually moving to Albany, Oregon, where Shirley and her brothers graduated from high school.

She loved school, books, and learning. Shirley was a voracious reader and an excellent student who always remembered her high school years fondly. Some of her happiest childhood memories came from summers spent in Burns, Oregon, at her grandmother’s home and her uncle’s ranch, where she rode horses and even helped raise a calf by hand.

She attended Marylhurst University, then known as Marylhurst Woman’s College, but had to postpone graduation after the death of her father in 1955. Soon afterward she went to work at the Northrup King Seed Company in Portland, where she met her future husband, Richard Klug. Richard’s father worked nearby in the family business, Klug Potatoes. Shirley and Richard married in 1957, and before long their growing family included Jack, Cheryl, and finally “Little Danny,” who arrived in the winter of 1963.

One of the clearest examples of Shirley’s enormous heart came in the mid-1970s, when she welcomed Karen into the family and became her stepmother in every way that truly mattered. Karen lived with the family not as a guest, but as a daughter and sister. Shirley often said, “We have so much love in this family that we can spare some more for one more.” It was not simply something she said — it was the way she lived her life.

Shirley’s working life reflected her determination, intelligence, and gift with people. In the 1960s she sold encyclopedias door-to-door, proving she could talk to absolutely anyone. Later she joined ServiceMaster as an estimator and eventually retired in 1999 as a franchise owner.

One of the great joys of her professional life was traveling to Chicago for ServiceMaster conferences and events. She absolutely loved the city — its energy, architecture, restaurants, and especially its baseball culture. Shirley became a devoted Chicago Cubs fan and never missed an opportunity to cheer for the Cubs. Whether in Portland or Chicago, she approached baseball the same way she approached life: loudly, enthusiastically, and with complete commitment.

For more than 63 years, Shirley called Portland’s Laurelhurst neighborhood home, and she left her fingerprints all over the community she loved. She served as President of the Laurelhurst Neighborhood Association and worked tirelessly to improve and protect the neighborhood she cherished. Through her leadership and advocacy, she helped secure a left-turn signal at the dangerous intersection of SE 39th and Burnside, an improvement that undoubtedly protected countless pedestrians over the years. In 2008, she also helped champion the creation of a basketball court at Laurelhurst Park in memory of her son Jack, who always believed neighborhood kids deserved more places to play.

After the tragic drowning death of Jack in 1976, Shirley turned grief into action. She became instrumental in fundraising efforts to help the Lincoln City Search and Rescue unit acquire emergency rescue equipment and fast-response Zodiac boats in hopes of helping spare other families similar heartbreak. An article in the Oregon Journal on June 21, 1977, noted: “The Northwest Marine Trade Association Tuesday donated $1,500 to the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary’s surf rescue unit at Lincoln City. Catalyst for the donation is Portlander Shirley Rae Klug who saw her son Jack, 17, drown.” The article further reported that since the previous summer, the unit had already saved seven lives and administered aid to many others.

In the years that followed, Shirley quietly reached out to mothers who had also lost children, personally writing letters to help comfort them through their grief. Even in her deepest sorrow, Shirley’s instinct was to care for others.

Her Catholic faith sustained her through both joys and hardships. She volunteered for The Grotto and for the American Cancer Society in honor of her father, who died from throat cancer. She was also ahead of her time in civic involvement, helping organize one of Portland’s earliest Neighborhood Police Watch groups and coordinating police ride-alongs so neighbors could better understand what officers were seeing in the city every day.

But long after titles and accomplishments fade, what people remember most about Shirley is her spirit.

People loved her wit, her laughter, and especially her unforgettable red hair. She adored sports and was often the loudest voice in the grandstands at her children’s games and events. More than one embarrassed child was heard saying, “Who is that woman yelling so loud? … That’s my Mom.”

She was also the neighborhood mom with the station wagon — the one who drove everybody home from practice, games, school events, or the movies. No kid was ever left stranded if Shirley was around.

Karen remembers one of Shirley’s favorite sayings: “We have a lot of fun here and a lot of love.” Karen says she always loved hearing her say that because she knew it was true and came straight from her heart. Shirley’s children always knew one thing for certain: no matter what happened, their mother was on their side. She had their backs.

And her children still laugh remembering her favorite saying whenever she held onto some old object, keepsake, or odd treasure:

“This will be worth something someday.”

Shirley is survived by her children Cheryl, Karen, and Danny; their spouses; her grandchildren Josh, Sam, Ben, and Jack and their spouses; and her many great-grandchildren, all of whom lovingly knew her as “GG.”

In truth, she was right. The things she valued most — family stories, community, loyalty, laughter, faith, baseball games, and showing up for people — turned out to be priceless.

Shirley Rae Klug lived a life rooted deeply in Oregon soil and in the people around her. She will be remembered with love, laughter, gratitude, and more than a few loud cheers from the grandstands.

A funeral mass will be held at All Saints Catholic Church Thursday June 18th, 2026 at 12 noon. The church is located at 38th and Glisan.