Shirley Mae Petkin of Rancho Mirage, Calif., died on Aug. 11, 2012, in Rancho Mirage from complications of Parkinson’s disease. She was born to Bert and Agnes Jacobson on May 30, 1928, in Chicago, Ill. She was 84 years old.
Shirley Mae, as she liked to be called, grew up in Chicago, where she graduated high school, and in 1965, moved to Los Angeles. During her lifetime, Shirley worked as a model in the fashion industry and was the first female hostess on a television show. She was a member of the Catholic Church.
Shirley Mae loved living in Idyllwild with her husband, Robert. They were married in 1984 in the house they were building in Idyllwild. In 2004, Shirley Mae and Robert moved to the desert area to be closer to medical facilities as they had serious medical needs.
She is preceeded in death by her husband Robert E. Petkin. She is survived by her sons, Randall Bratcher of Reno, Nev., and Allen Bratcher of San Diego, Calif.; and her two grandchildren, Ryan Bratcher of San Diego, and Amber Bratcher of London, U.K.
Shirley Mae was cremated on Aug. 13, 2012. A memorial service is planned for Sept. 7, 2012, at the Mirage Inn Assisted Living Center in Rancho Mirage, to be conducted by her son Allen Bratcher.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in Shirley’s name be made to Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, www.rchsd.org.
