At their August meeting, Mayor Teri Johnston and the Key West City Commission commended 97-year-old Shirlee Ezmirly for her contributions to the community.
“Shirlee has spent her life working as an activist to help others, reads the commendation. "She began helping an African American friend sit in a white-only restaurant in her late teens. Here in Key West in the 1980s, she protested outside drug houses with a sign that said, ‘Up with Hope, Down with Dope.’
“She later protested t-shirt shops, which she and others felt were destroying the charm of Duval Street. In recent years, she worked as the inspirational leader of the Key West Rip Off Rapid Response Team, which brought attention to predatory shops on Duval Street."
Ezmirly accepted the commendation, surrounded by friends and family.
“I appreciate all these people coming here,” she said. “Key West is a very, very special. We're all very, very lucky to be here.”
Ezm
irly received her bachelor's degree in occupational therapy in the 1950s and spent two years in the Air Force Women's Medical Specialist Corp. She was the first female occupational therapist in the US Air Force. She moved to Key West in 1980, working for the Coast Guard as a civilian.
In 1983, Ezmirly and her second husband bought the historic hospital building at 532 Fleming Street. This building was the site of the first private hospital in Key West and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
“Her adult children, grandchildren, and great-grandson said she taught them always to stand their ground and not to be afraid,” reads the commendation. "We are grateful for her commitment to making our island the best it can possibly be."