Elizabeth Ann Shultz

Elizabeth Ann Shultz, 63, of Brookings,  passed away peacefully on the morning of July 8, 2011, while her husband Charles was driving her to the see her oncologist in Medford.

 Elizabeth’s cancer had metastasized to her skeletal system and then to her liver.

Elizabeth was born Feb. 1, 1948, on Catalina Island, Calif., to Virgil and Peggy Dameron.

Virgil owned a magic shop in the sleepy town of Avalon, Calif., and the bright spot of his day would be when little Elizabeth would run down the hill to meet him after work. 

Later, Elizabeth’s family moved to a little white adobe cottage in Mentone, Calif. On Feb. 21, 1953 her brother David was born and the family was complete. 

In 1956, when Elizabeth was 8, the Dameron family moved to France where her father worked as a civilian for the U.S. Air Force. In 1959 the Dameron family moved back to the states, to Redlands, Calif., where Elizabeth started sixth grade at Redlands Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Elementary. She graduated from San Pasqual Academy in 1966. 

Elizabeth went on to earn a BS degree in nursing at Lorna Linda University in California in 1970.

Elizabeth briefly worked as a public health nurse for a year in Gretchen, which she enjoyed so much that she soon moved back to California to earn a master’s degree in public health at Lorna Linda University. In April, 1973, while in the lecture hall at the university, she met Charles Shultz who had been giving a talk on health education in Nepal. They were engaged in July, married on Sept. 16, 1973, and were serving as missionaries in Nepal by May of 1974.

Their daughter Rebekah was born Jan. 31, 1976, in Kathmandu, Nepal. While in Nepal, Elizabeth would ride her Honda 90, while her husband rode his Yamaha dirt bike, to various remote villages. Elizabeth would treat the sick while Charles gave health education talks. Elizabeth also started a kindergarten for English-speaking children in the town of Banepa where she lived. In 1977 the family moved to Pune, India, where Charles taught at Spicer Memorial College and Elizabeth again started a kindergarten class. 

On March 6, 1978, the birth of Nathan brought a son to liven up the family.

In 1982, Elizabeth’s father-in-law had serious health problems, so the family returned to California where Charles pastored the El Cajon Seventh-day Adventist Church and Elizabeth again taught kindergarten. 

In 1984, Elizabeth took the training to become an electrologist, a job that seemed to fit. She loved helping people by making them feel more beautiful and confident in themselves. She also loved the flexible hours and sense of autonomy she had by owning her own business.

In 2004 Elizabeth sold the Redlands Electrology Clinic and moved with Charles to Brookings. She then opened the Coastal Hair Removal Clinic in Smith River. In 2009, she and Charles moved back to Nepal. In a way, the last two years of Elizabeth’s life were when she really blossomed. They were, in every sense of the word, her golden years. 

Elizabeth served as the director of Women’s Ministry in Nepal for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She had a strong desire to help widows learn some type of trade so that they could provide for their children. She also began providing materials and instructions so that children could learn about the Bible. She loved the women to whom she gave seminars  and her love did not need to be translated.

Tragically, just as her work with the women of Nepal was starting, Elizabeth was diagnosed with cancer. She moved back to Brookings to get better medical care and to be close to her newborn grandchildren, Jaina and Max. However, her work with Women’s Ministry did not end. Even though she was in great pain, she created a Women’s Ministry for the women of Brookings. She gave another presentation on Bible study. She also hosted a tea for the women of Brookings, complete with fancy hats, in which everyone brought Bible verses to discuss.

Elizabeth enjoyed attending the Brookings Seventh-day Adventist Church, of which she was a member. She loved to walk with her husband along the beach and explore the Coastal Trail. Elizabeth was extremely creative and loved beauty. She always strove to make home, no matter where she lived, uniquely beautiful.

Elizabeth is survived by her husband Charles of Brookings; daughter and son-in-law Rebekah and Richard Colby of Denver, Colo.; son and daughter-in-law Nathan and Allison Shultz of San Diego; grandchildren Jaina Colby and Max Shultz; brother David Dameron of Chesterfield, Va.

A memorial service will be at 4 p. m. Saturday, July 23,  at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 102 Park St., in Brookings. (541) 469-3030. 

Memorial contributions to help carry on the work in Nepal that Elizabeth started may be made to Brookings SDA Church, Nepal Project,  P.O. Box 777, Brookings OR  97415. 

Submitted by the family.