Shelley Jean Meredith passed away May 20, 2025 in Truckee, California. She was born Aug. 30, 1950, in Los Angeles, and attended schools and university in Los Angeles.
From 1972 to 1976, Shelley worked in employee relations for Hughes Aerospace Corp. She moved to Reno in 1978 and worked for Harold’s’ Club for nine years, eventually serving as their human resources director. In 1986, she joined several thousand people in the “Great Peace March,” walking from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. The walk took about a year, and she enjoyed talking about the many experiences she had along the way and the interesting people she met.
In 1987, Shelley joined the Plumas County Assessor’s Office, working there for several years. She often praised then county assessor Ernie Eaton for his skill in managing that office. In 1994, she went to work for the Plumas Superior Court as the official court mediator. She held that position for about 12 years. She was very successful in that role, settling dozens of cases and earning accolades from then Judge Garrett Olney.
Shelly bought a house in Greenhorn in 1987 and lived there until 2022, when her medical condition worsened and she moved into a skilled nursing facility. Throughout her time living in Greenhorn, she became best known for her social and musical skills, particularly in playing the guitar and singing old-time cowboy songs while on hayrides with guests at Greenhorn Guest Ranch, which was then owned by Trish and Ralph Wilburn. Shelley was always a great lover of dogs and horses, but her favorite was her big stallion, General Morgan.
Throughout her life, Shelley was plagued by several autoimmune disorders, among them N.A.M. and lupus. She did her utmost never to let her declining physical condition show. She would be smiling and beaming at courtroom litigants and hay wagon riders, despite suffering from considerable pain.
For the past three years, as her muscles deteriorated, the pain became overwhelming despite the many painkillers she was prescribed. Her condition was irreversible. Shelley applied and was approved for relief under the “California End of Life Option Act.” She felt it was the only compassionate way to address her difficult situation and wanted to make others aware of its benefits.
At her request, she passed away May 20, 2025. She’s survived by her nephew, Paul Bright of Sparks, Nevada. If you wish to make a donation in her memory, she requests you consider Sunrise Horse Rescue or All About Equine. A “Last Campfire-Celebration of Life” will be held for Shelley in late September; the place, date and time to be announced.