On the day that Shelley was told that her breast cancer had come back, but this time in her liver, she called her family and then taught poetry to a fifth grade class. Her mission was to bring poetry to as many people as possible.
Upon moving to California, Shelley worked at a women’s center in San Diego. She joined CPITS (California Poets in the Schools), and for over 40 years has taught poetry to over 60,000 people ranging from preschool to university, juvenile hall, men and women’s prisons, retirement communities, Foster youth, emotionally disturbed, mentally challenged youth and adults, homeless and abused youth, and women’s centers. Shelley worked for over twenty years?as an English and Creative Writing Professor at Oxnard College. She was also the creator of the “Speaker Arts and Lecture Series” which put Oxnard College on the map for the community. From 2014-2017 she was the Poet Laureate of Oxnard College from which she retired.
Shelley has written four books of poetry, and two anthologies about teaching poetry that have been published. She has received several writing awards, and grants for teaching poetry and has been published over 100 times in many Literary Magazines and Poetry Anthologies.
If poetry was her passion, family was her heart. She had a great capacity to love. Shelley called her daughter Talia “the best thing she ever did.” Shelley is survived by her husband Elijah Imlay, her daughter Talia Savren-McCormick, Talia’s husband Todd and their daughter Skye.
Shelley’s Funeral Services will be held in the JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME, 757 E. Main Street Ventura on Monday July 3, 2017 at Noon. Interment will immediately follow in Ivy Lawn Memorial Park, Ventura. The family will receive visitors following the service and on Tuesday from 1-5 at Shelley and Elijah’s home. Donations can be made in Shelley’s name to:
UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital Expressive Arts Therapies
757 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095
or JMML Research at USCF Benioff Children’s Hospital
1975 4th St, San Francisco, CA 94158