Celia Louise Shryne passed from this life to the next on 12/22/23, having orbited the sun 62 times and a little bit more. For now, she has left her sisters Paula Kathleen Shryne WHS 1977 and Julie Eileen Shryne WHS 1978, her brother Michael Joseph Shryne WHS 1983, her nephew Aidan Shryne, her beloved dog Floyd as well as a chosen family of devoted friends she picked up along the way.
Having worked as a Laboratory Safety Specialist at the University of California at Berkeley for almost 30 years, Celia was quite expert in her role. However, she was better known for having developed friendships throughout campus because of her very intentional way of making human connection with those she encountered. To every laboratory she inspected, she brought a tremendous sense of curiosity (she absolutely loved learning about the many different experiments), non-judgmental listening, thoughtfulness, respectfulness, and a warm smile. Her charming and deeply empathetic approach to what is commonly an uncomfortable experience was legendary.
Her inquisitive nature meant there was no end to Celia’s interests. She enjoyed many of the healing arts (alternative medicine, naturopathy, aromatherapy, homeopathy, acupuncture, crystal healing, bodywork, meditation, spirituality, paranormal phenomenon, yoga, tai chi, feng shui, etc.), experimenting with vegetarian cooking (sooo many cook books and mason jars filled with mysterious grains and legumes), science and science fiction (or “nerding out” on science as she put it), music festivals (especially New Orleans jazz and blue grass), arts & crafts (beading, Japanese woodworking, sewing, painting), reading, hiking, sporadic gardening, and especially swimming, for which she was whimsically known as the “short-haired mermaid.”
Celia was a character who engaged the world on her own terms – as an explorer and a provocateur with a unique sensibility (as a feminist, an environmentalist, a progressive, and a mindfulness practitioner). She made us all think harder and differently about the world. While she had an earnest intensity about her, Celia also had a delightfully silly side. She knew how to enjoy life and loved to “play”. She relished creating a sense of community, whether it was through a long conversation with loved ones, a potluck in the neighborhood, a social event at work, or a bouffant party with friends. Celia's hearty and infectious laugh could be heard by persons across the room, out the door, in other buildings, and likely in other states. If you listen carefully, you can probably still hear the echoes of her laughter now.
Celebration of Life
With Celia’s fun-loving spirit in mind, a Celebration of Life will be held in Celia’s honor on Saturday 6/22/24 at 7:00 pm at the UU Church of Berkeley (1 Lawson Rd, Kensington, CA). It’s a party. Bring your dancing shoes! RSVP with email to jshryne@alumni.stanford.edu
Celia was a member of the 1979 class at Westchester High School in Houston, Texas.
Celia was a graduate of Texas A&M class of 1986 with a degree in Agronomy.
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