Marilou Shiells

Marilou Shiells passed away on November 4th 2024 at the age of 99. She was born in Los Angeles December 2nd 1924 to Harold and Arabelle Conn. Marilou and her brother Robert were raised in the West Hollywood area of Los Angeles and she went to Fairfax High. She studied art at the University of Washington in Seattle during and after World War 2. During the early 1950s she lived and worked at Soda Springs on Donner Summit and was an avid skier. She moved to Sausalito in 1952 and lived there for many years. She was actively involved in the Sausalito Little Theatre and the Sausalito Women’s Club. She was half owner and proprietor of Battens and Boards, a yachting and skiing apparel and equipment shop from 1959 to 1966. She moved to Mill Valley with her husband to be Daniel Shiells in 1969 and they married in 1971. She and Dan travelled widely, living in Spain and Mexico while Dan worked on various nuclear projects for Bechtel Corp. They often travelled about in their RV and spent two years exploring the U.S. After a stint in Utah they moved to Santa Barbara in 1984.

Marilou was always very interested in art and was an accomplished painter of watercolors. In her days with the Little Theatre in Sausalito she worked on sets and backdrops. She was a docent at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art for several years. She continued to paint with watercolors until she was in her mid 90s, and even tried acrylics a few times. Marilou was an avid walker and much of her continued health and longevity could be attributed to getting plenty of exercise. She never drove but was an efficient and accurate navigator, having a profound sense of direction with a superior memory and was also quite fond of reading, keeping aware of current events and solving puzzles. Marilou experienced exceptional health until only a few months before she passed, and she lived 100% of her life. She is survived by her husband Dan’s children Dan, Ted and Susan and by her son Dave. A service will be held on Wednesday December 11th at the Vista Del Monte main lounge. Donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to Vista Del Monte’s Resident’s Assistance Fund.