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On 2/1/05 Princeton Mourned the loss of its Mayor just days after her 77th birthday,
Mayor Shirley Robb died around 3 AM Tuesday 2/1/05 at Gibson General Hospital after falling ill and being hospitalized for the past several weeks.
 Shirley J. Robb entered the history books in November 1999 when she was elected the thirtieth Mayor of Princeton; she became the first female ever to be elected as Mayor of the City of Princeton. Shirley would once again make her mark on Princeton
history in November 2003 when she won re-election over Leon Stone, making her the oldest to ever be elected Mayor of Princeton at the age of 75. The oldest to serve as Mayor is George Taylor who was elected for his final term at the age of 73 and completed his term at the age of 77 and six months. There are currently three previous Princeton Mayors still living, William “Bill” McConnell, George Taylor, and Frank Wade.
Shirley Robb was born January 20, 1928 as the daughter of Francis and Marie “Weist” Stoll in Princeton, Indiana. Shirley was born in the front bedroom of the house she resided in until her death at 527 East State Street.
Shirley Robb attended St. Joseph Catholic School until the eighth grade when she entered public school and graduated from Princeton High School in 1945.
Robb moved to California for two years working at a local telephone company and restaurants. In 1946 she returned to Princeton, following her mothers request, and resided in Princeton ever since. Upon her return to Princeton, she spent the next 10 years working at the local Princeton Telephone Company.
Shirley Stoll would become Mrs. Ed C. Robb in 1949 and in 1955 they had a daughter named Scarlett Robb.
In 1956 Robb took employment at Potter & Brumfield and was employed there for the next 35 years. She retired in October 1991.
Robb, an ardent Democrat, would get her first taste of public office in 1992 when she was elected Clerk Treasurer of the City of Princeton and held that position for two terms.
In 1999 when long time Democrat Mayor George Taylor announced that after 12 years he would not run for re-election, Shirley decided to test the waters and see if Princeton was ready for its first female Mayor.
Robb was elected Mayor in November 1999 defeating Republican Jim Morrow in the general election and would win a second term in office defeating Republican Leon Stone in November 2003.
During Shirley’s second term in office, her health began to decline; Robb continued to carry out the duties as Mayor right up to the last couple of days of her life. City officials would meet with Mayor Robb daily, and as needed meetings would be set up in the hospitals conference room.
 Shirley was proud to have been elected not once but twice by her fellow citizens to be commander and chief of the city. Mayor Robb never shied away from a tough decision, in making her decisions she always did what she felt was best for the city.
For those who worked with Mayor Robb on a daily bases, we knew that taking care of the cities business was her love, her life and the adrenalin that kept her going these last few years. She enjoyed coming into the office everyday and serving the citizens of Princeton. Shirley always prided herself on having an open door policy; more often than not when you called the Mayors office, Shirley would be the one answering the phone, she would talk to anyone at anytime no matter how large or small the problem.
Mayor Robb always ran a tight ship in her administration and as most department heads can tell you from experience, if you stepped out of line she had no problem calling you to the office and setting you straight.
Shirley Robb is the third Mayor to die in office.
Ernest Edward Noble, the thirteenth Mayor of Princeton, was elected in 1918. Unfortunately, Noble was elected during the worst outbreak of influenza in Princeton's history and within a year would himself be stricken with influenza and die in office on January 15, 1919.
Walter G. Cox became Princeton's twenty-first Mayor in 1948. Almost from his first day in office, Mayor Cox's health began to decline; but being the public servant that he was, he continued to carry out the duties of his office despite the pleas of his family and friends to take time off for rest and treatment. Mayor Cox made an honest effort to carry out his doctor's orders to slow down, but he found it hard to do. He could not always say no when his services were needed. Mayor Cox succumbed to his poor health on June 7, 1950.
Shirley Jean "Stoll" Robb
Mayor: 2000 – 2/1/05
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Age Elected as Mayor: 72
Occupation: Mayor, Princeton Phone Company, and Potter & Brumfield
Life long Member of: St. Joseph Catholic Church
Born: January 20, 1928
Died: February 1, 2005
Mayor Robb was preceded in death by her parents, Francis Xavier and Marie (Weis) Stoll; a sister, Frances Marie Stoll; and a sister-in-law, Elizabeth Stoll.
She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Scarlett and Lee Ray McKinney, of Tulsa, Okla.; brothers, Joe Stoll, of Haubstadt, Roy and his wife Nancy Stoll, of Princeton and Gary and his wife Jo Beth Stoll, of Princeton; two nieces, Suzy Majors and Teresa Garrett; and nephews, Tony Stoll, Matt Stoll, Gary Stoll Jr., Michael Stoll, Richard Stoll, P.J. Stoll, Chris Stoll, Peter Stoll and Scott Stoll.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 410 S. Race St., in Princeton, with the Rev. Bernie Etienne officiating. Final disposition will at St. Joseph Cemetery. Friends may call from 4-9 p.m. Thursday at St. Joseph Catholic Church. The rosary will be prayed at 7 p.m. Thursday at the church.
Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Joseph Renovation Fund.
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