Pettis, Shirley Neil (1924–)

American politician. Name variations: Shirley Pettis-Robe; Shirley Neil Pettis-Robe; Shirley McCumber Pettis-Robe. Born Shirley Neil McCumber, July 12, 1924, in Mountain View, Santa Clara Co., California; dau. of Harold Oliver McCumber and Dorothy Susan (O'Neil) McCumber; attended Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan, 1942–43, and University of California, Berkeley, 1944–45; m. Jerry Lyle Pettis (politician and congressional representative, died 1975); m. Ben Robe, 1988; children: Peter Dwight Pettis; Deborah Neil Pettis.

US Republican congressional representative, 94th-95th Congresses (April 29, 1975–Jan 3, 1979), 1st co-founded and managed the Audio-Digest Foundation (1950–53); was a newspaper columnist for the Sun-Telegram, San Bernardino, California (1967–70); served as vice president of Republican Congressional Wives Club (1975); elected as a Republican to the 94th Congress by special election (April 29, 1975); reelected to 95th Congress; as a member of Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, gained legislation protecting the deserts in her district; secured wilderness status for nearly half a million acres in Joshua Tree National Monument, establishing the California Desert Conservation area; was vice president, Women's Research and Education Institute, Washington, DC (1980–81); was a member of the Arms Control and Disarmament Commission (1981–83), and Commission on Presidential Scholars (1990–92).

See also Women in World History.