Shirley Bender

Born in Brooklyn to very poor immigrant parents during the Roaring Twenties, Shirley Bender lived over 100 years, pulling herself out of poverty to become a model of modern American womanhood.

An exemplary high school student, Shirley worked on Wall Street during World War II, then moved to California after the war ended. Along with her husband Martin, she became an important figure in the American furniture business, first in interior decorating and sales, and later, with business partner Victor Sawan, in furniture manufacturing. Over many decades she sold to—and decorated the homes of—many if not most Hollywood movie stars and business magnates.

Upon her retirement from the business world in the mid-1980s, Shirley made the conscious decision to give back to society for the remainder of her life. Having never learned to drive, Shirley took the Wilshire bus, rain or shine, to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to volunteer. And volunteer she did: forty hours a week…year after year after year. After Cedars-Sinai, Shirley took up another public service “career”: working full-time helping older students get an education at a nearby adult school. Now well in her 80s, Shirley Bender was the oldest full-time public employee in Los Angeles County when she retired for good in circa 2012.

From crushing poverty to the pinnacle of business success to 25 years contributing back to society in “retirement,” Shirley Bender did it all. And she became a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother along the way. A life well lived.