Kelly Shobe O’Rourke

Kelly Shobe O’Rourke was born in Pasadena, California on July 20, 1965 and died in Scottsdale, Arizona of cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) on August 3, 2025. Over the course of her childhood, her family moved frequently, with time spent in Colorado, Michigan, and England, before eventually settling in Santa Barbara, California, which she considered her hometown. She attended Baylor University as an undergraduate, and after dropping out of law school decided on a career in teaching. She married Brian O’Rourke in 1992 in Santa Barbara, and they lived there and in Sunnyvale, California before settling in Scottsdale, Arizona, a town they both loved. They had a daughter Madeline in 2001 and a son Sean in 2004. In addition to her husband and children, she leaves behind her dear mother, brother, sister-in-law, and many cousins, nieces and nephews. She loved her family dearly, showed great dedication to educating young minds, fought cancer bravely, and was devoted to her many friends. She will be greatly missed by all who had the good fortune to know her. A memorial service will be held Sunday, August 10th, at 1PM at North Scottsdale United Methodist Church, 11735 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation.