Shirley Irene Schmidt, beloved mother and grandmother, passed away from pancreatic cancer on May 14, 2021, surrounded by her loving family. Born in 1934 in Table Rock, Nebraska, to Elmer and Rose Jones, Shirley was an adventurous child.
She spent much of her time outdoors accompanied by the dogs she loved. She lived in Humboldt, Nebraska; McAllen, Texas; Beatrice, Nebraska; and Lincoln during her long, eventful life. Her sisters remember her as “the responsible one” who always made sure they had what they needed. She took care of everyone she met.
She married Harvey LeRoy Schmidt in 1962 in Beatrice. They had two daughters, Mary and Barbara. Shirley adored her family, her dogs, spending time at Cottonwood Beach, and Nebraska football and volleyball. She worked as a bookkeeper and at Nebraska Bookstore for many years, first as a cashier and then in the post office, from which she retired in 1999. She also loved traveling, and spent many happy times with her in-laws in Lake Tahoe, Vermont, and other places around the United States. In 2004, she was blessed with two grandsons, Joshua and Geoffrey, and they were the light of her life. She was never prouder than when she talked about these two young men. No one who ever met her could forget her laugh or her kindness.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harvey, her mother and father, her brother Tommy, her sister Lucille Kramer, three brothers-in-law, a sister-in-law, two nieces, and a nephew.
A celebration of life will be held at Wyuka Funeral Home on Friday, May 21, 2021, at 1:30 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Capital Humane Society in Lincoln.