Shirley Rae Pound Maus

Shirley Rae Pound Maus passed away at University Retirement Community in Davis, CA, on the morning of August 19th. She is survived by her sons Robert (Jennifer Mainini) Maus and John (Debbie) Maus. She was preceded in death by her husband Ronald Maus (1994) and daughter Pamela Maus (1982).

Shirley was born in Placerville, CA to Carletta Vennewitz and Benjamin Slaven. After several moves around Northern California during her childhood, she attended and graduated from Napa High School in 1944 and Napa College in 1946.

She met her husband Ron through her cousin Jim McDonald at Jim’s brother Bert McDonald’s wedding. Shirley and Ron married in 1947 and lived in Berkeley, Oakland and Concord while Ron finished his undergraduate studies and began graduate school at UC Berkeley after serving in World War II.

In what became Ron’s career-long UC Davis accounting position that initially brought them to Davis in 1951, Ron and Shirley remained in Davis for the rest of their lives. In addition to working with Ron in their home-based tax preparation service, as well as providing pro-bono assistance to visiting professors and foreign students through the UC Davis International House, Shirley joined Brown Construction in 1973 after Bill Brown completed their custom home in South Davis. What started as a gig to set up Bill’s books to support his growing business, became Shirley’s 20+ year career, from which she retired twice. A capstone of her career was Bill’s trust in Shirley to be the superintendent for the construction of the St. George Apartments at 8th and F Streets in Davis.

Being a 4th-generation Californian, Shirley had a love for the Sierra Foothills, which was home to her ancestors who arrived in California in 1852. That love was manifested in the endowment she established to rehabilitate and maintain the Sierra Foothills section of the UC Davis Arboretum. Shirley continued to give to UC Davis through her years volunteering at the Annual Arboretum Plant Sale, organizing Arboretum tours, and serving as an Arboretum docent and as an usher at the Mondavi Center. Shirley and Ron also honored Pam's memory by endowing a creative writing prize for undergraduate authors in the UC Davis English Department.

Shirley’s volunteering expanded to University Retirement Community's Nook upon her move, working in, and creating staffing schedules.

Ron and Shirley were Cal Football Bear Backers, season ticket holders who attended games rain or shine for decades.

For years, Ron and Shirley volunteered at Sacramento's Jazz Jubilee and enjoyed pursuing Dixieland music in their travels. Ron and Shirley made many trips across the world with UC Berkeley’s Bear Treks.

A private internment at the Davis Cemetery was held on her 99th birthday. A memorial service will be held at 2 PM Saturday, October 25 at Davis Community Church with a reception following.

Those wishing to honor Shirley’s memory are asked to consider a donation to the UC Davis Arboretum or a charity of their choice.