Shirley Juanita Dyck

Shirley Juanita Michael was born to Fred and Lura Leota Michael on April 10, 1929, in Seattle, Washington. This was the year of the market crash. Fred Michael was a postman, a civil service job. Shirley’s parents did not lose money in the crash, because they did not have any money to lose. However, Fred’s steady job kept them fed, housed, and safe.

Shirley had a talent for music from a young age. Her baby grand piano was either given to her, or acquired as part of a house trade when her father transferred from California to Iowa. Shirley took lessons and played mostly classical music.

Going to the movies was a special treat and the family especially enjoyed seeing the young Shirley Temple. They often stopped for ice cream afterwards. Fred and daughter, Shirley, enjoyed chocolate milk shakes, Leota preferred an ice cream soda.

Once old enough, Shirley used her own money to buy sheet music, only 5 cents a copy. Shirley added songs from movies, and popular 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s songs to her growing repertoire.

In Iowa, Shirley began playing the clarinet in the school band, and excelled with this instrument all through high school.

One of the most difficult things for Shirley was moving. Her father had asthma and often needed to change climates. They moved from California to Iowa, back to California, back to Iowa, and then to Kansas.

Shirley’s happiest times were while living in Huntington Beach, California, Maywood, California, Arlington, Kansas, and Hillsboro, Kansas. Living in California, permanently, was always Shirley’s dream. As an adult, Shirley would visit California, occasionally. Her parents retired and moved to Sebastopol, California, in Sonoma County, north of San Francisco. Fred and Leota grew boysenberries and other fruits, and flowers, to sell for both income and because Fred was interested in horticulture, especially grafting.

Shirley met her husband, Harry, while living in Hillsboro, Kansas. Harry was a Canadian citizen, and around 1940, he was encouraged to move from British Columbia, to Hillsboro, to study at Tabor College. In 1946, Harry was back from serving in the U.S. Army, with an honorable discharge and his naturalization papers. He was now a U.S. citizen, and both his and Shirley’s lives were about to change. Harry came back to Hillsboro to buy a new car and travel east to find work. But, no cars were available. He would need to order one. However, they did offer him a job selling cars, farm machinery, and Quonset buildings. Harry accepted the job, ordered his new car, and deferred his plan to move to New Jersey or New York.

One day, at the drugstore, Harry attempted to make friends with a young worker, named Shirley Michael. He struck out! Harry was almost ten years older than Shirley and she was still in high school.

The following January, when Shirley was a senior and working in a cafe, Harry asked her for a date and she accepted. He proposed in June, gave her an engagement ring in October, and they married on Valentine’s Day in 1948. After a brief honeymoon, they owned and operated a small cafe. Harry was the cook and Shirley, the waitress.

Harry and Shirley had two children, Jeanne and John, born in May of 1949 and January of 1951.

Shirley had desired to go to college, to study music. Her parents wanted to send her to a business school in Wichita. Instead, Harry provided for her to attend Tabor College, in the mid 1950’s, to become a teacher, where she added as much music to her schedule, and free time, as possible.

While a college student, Shirley always made time to read to her children at bedtime. Shirley would sit in a chair in the hallway, from where both children, already tucked in bed, could hear her.

Some nights Shirley played piano softly, after reading to her children. There were soothing tunes, such as, “Claire de Lune,” “Moonlight Sonata,” and “The Blue Danube.”

In 1962, the family moved to Wichita, to build a new home and a new life. Harry was already driving for Frontier Chemical, Shirley had just finished teaching English at Hillsboro High School for three years, and was now hired to teach English, Speech, and Drama at Maize High School. The children would go to schools in Goddard.

Shirley often said that Harry worked seven miles south, she worked seven miles north, and the kids’ schools were seven miles west.

Shirley had been a member of Eastern Star, in Marion, Kansas. She transferred her membership to Ivy Leaf chapter in Wichita, where neighbors, the VanBlarcom’s, were members. Harry would later become a mason and then a shriner. Shirley continued to play piano and organ for Eastern Star until 2015. One year she was Grand Organist for the State of Kansas. She traveled with other state officers to different chapters and regional events. Harry joined her when possible. He loved to hear her play and was proud of her accomplishments.

Once Harry was a shriner, Shirley joined the organization, Daughters of the Nile, and played for them, also.

Shirley retired from teaching, after eleven years at Maize. She later worked at Knit Knack's. When Towne West opened, she worked in Housewares for JCPenney, part-time, for five years.

Fred and Leota Michael moved back to Kansas in 1976, and lived a couple of miles from Shirley and Harry. Shirley took good care of her parents, becoming even more involved as her father’s health declined. She not only took them to doctor appointments, the grocery store, or bank, she also took them out to eat, to visit relatives, or just out for fun.

Shirley was hired to play the organ at First Salem United Church of Christ in the 1990’s and she became a church member there. Playing their organ and piano would continue for 20+ years.

Shirley decided to learn how to play the violin and was fortunate enough to meet Bea Pease, a former violinist with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. They scheduled lessons. Lessons would sometimes end with Shirley playing piano, to accompany Bea playing violin. Shirley treasured those sessions.

Next, the flute. Shirley took lessons from Marilyn Hitchcock. Because of Marilyn, Shirley joined Mu Phi Epsilon, and enjoyed many events and fundraisers. Marilyn’s son was partial to Shirley’s peppernuts at Christmas!

After a brief time with learning the cello, Shirley bought an Irish harp and taught herself how to play. She heard of a local renaissance group while touring the somewhat famous Turret building in someone’s backyard on E Kellogg. Once a member of this group, she made a costume and teamed up with a few of the group’s musicians. She played harp, and accompanied their hammered dulcimer, flute and bodhran drum instruments. Shirley and the dulcimer musician continued as a duo for some years, performing at the Renaissance Fairs held at Kansas Newman, Botanica and a year or more at Sedgwick County Park.

Shirley volunteered at The Kansas Masonic Home playing for Sing-along Wednesdays. In 1999, she received a 50-hour volunteer pin.

One year, Shirley was asked to play piano for a Wichita Chamber of Commerce breakfast. Playing at 7am is much different than playing in the afternoon or evening. On another occasion, the piano began rolling away from her because the brakes on the wheels were not locked.

Shirley enjoyed having season tickets to the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and Music Theatre Wichita. She attended with a teacher friend from Maize High School, Mary Lee Koenig. Years later, she attended alone, or with Jeanne.

One year, three, front row, center Balcony seats became available for Music Theatre Wichita. Shirley, Jeanne and Leota purchased them quickly. Jeanne would carry a pillow, for 4’11” Leota to use, to see over the balcony rail.

Shirley’s many travels included boarding the Queen Mary to sail for England. She and her mother spent the first week in London, then rented a car and Shirley drove them north to Scotland. They stopped at Bed & Breakfasts along the way, without reservations. When they returned the car, the worker checked the mileage and then called the other workers over to see. They could not believe these two American women had put so many miles on the car.

During one of the B&B stays, Leota accidentally walked in on a Scottish gentleman using the bathroom. She apologized and quickly returned to their room and told Shirley. Many times over the years, they would break out in giggles remembering that time.

The trip continued with a six-week group tour of Europe, and a return sail to the U.S..

Southwest Colorado was another of Shirley’s favorite destinations to visit, especially when they could travel south into New Mexico and avoid the Wolf Creek Pass. The drive along I-40 and up through Santa Fe was much more pleasant and like two trips in one. Jeanne did the math, and Shirley made this trip 34-35 times, once or twice a year. Leota’s sister, in Liberal, would often join Shirley and Leota, then Jeanne was able to go once a year. Later, a retired coworker of Jeanne’s, Juanita Kirkhart, joined them. Juanita and Ruth hit it off right away and Juanita was very helpful with both Leota and Ruth, who were in their 80’s and 90’s.

One year, Jeanne’s birthday fell during the trip. Shirley, Leota and Ruth surprised Jeanne with a day-trip to Mesa Verde. They had all been there before, but it was on Jeanne’s bucket list.

Shirley often did surprising things for people. If you mentioned something you needed to do, or wanted to do, and kept putting it off, Shirley would say, “Get your coat and let’s go!” Leota was always ready to go somewhere and Shirley often said, “Mom, do you want to go for a drive?” Or to the grocery store. Leota loved old-fashioned dime stores, and Shirley knew where all of them were, on trips, and in the Wichita area.

Shirley’s family played cards. For her parents, cards were inexpensive entertainment. Shirley’s folks and other relatives played Pitch. When Shirley’s parents visited from California, everyone played Pitch. When older, Jeanne and John played cards, Harry and John against Shirley and Jeanne. They often played Pinochle, then Hearts, after a meal of pressure-cooked roast beef and vegetables. When Fred and Leota visited, there was also homemade ice cream in an old crank freezer. Fred usually supervised the cranking.

For more than fifty years, Shirley baked peppernuts at Christmas. She had a recipe from a friend, who added tiny bits of spiced gumdrops to the dough. The cookies are addictive, and Shirley took tins of them to friends. The big recipe contains five pounds of flour, a dozen eggs, six cups of brown and white sugar, three cups of Crisco, spices, and vanilla and almond flavorings. (Almond flavoring was a special addition for both Leota and Shirley. Guidelines for doing so are: for whatever amount of vanilla is required in a recipe, add one-fourth of that amount in almond flavoring to the recipe.)

Shirley made this large peppernut recipe at least once between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Shirley and the kids cut the spiced gumdrops into tiny bits using clean or new pairs of scissors. Harry later used a large chef knife and created piles of little bits.

Shirley used a large enamel turkey roaster to mix the dough. Finally, in her late 70’s, Shirley said she could no longer do this and she passed the torch to Jeanne, who had been making them while living in Virginia. Now John and Candy, also, bake their own batch. And, yes, John does help with the baking. Gumdrop cutting can begin as early as late September. Those little bits keep well in flour.

A few pictures of the mixing and baking process are included in the video today, so you have an idea of the work that goes into making our family’s peppernut recipe. The cookies keep well in a metal tin with snug lid. Some of us have been known to eat some as late as February. No, they are not as good, but still edible. What is missing is the smell from the baking. And unlike cooking other foods, the next day’s smell from baking peppernuts can make you smile.

Shirley and Leota were known for making wonderful turkey and noodles. They used fresh turkey broth, made noodles from scratch, added leftover turkey, and Jeanne stirred the pot.

Shirley’s mother, Leota, baked pies for the Nickleback Cafe Harry and Shirley owned. John Dyck treasured his grandmother’s pork chops. Jeanne Dyck loved her peach butter, homemade ham and beans, and applesauce. We all loved the chicken and noodles.

During Shirley’s last few years, she loved to be out on the back porch swing, even when it was 90 degrees or more! During Covid time, she sat there with Jeanne, and the visitors were outside the glass windows, sitting in lawn chairs. We used our cell phone speakers to talk. What a way to spend Christmas! In the spring, summer and fall, Shirley enjoyed the green vegetation and the change in colors. As the iris died away, there were lilies and cone flowers, then tall purple phlox. A neighbor, Phyllis, has red roses on the chain link fence between the backyards. We were happy that they grew to our side of the yard. Shirley loved red roses, hummingbird feeders hung from a small redbud tree, and from a crepe myrtle.

Squirrels made Shirley laugh, as they scampered along the fence and leaped to a leafy branch of the clump birch. Birds would come close enough for her to see. It was a peaceful place for Shirley, and she loved the warmth out there on hot days, it warmed her to her bones.

Shirley passed at the age of 95, in Wichita, Kansas on Monday, August 12, 2024. She treasured her family and friends and would wish each and every one of you to FIND your joy, LIVE your joy, and would wish you many opportunities to SHARE your joy.

Rest in peace, Shirley Dyck, until we meet again.

A visitation for Shirley will be held Friday, August 23, 2024 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM with a funeral service Saturday, August 24, 2024 at 10:00 AM and a graveside service immediately to follow. All at Resthaven Mortuary and Gardens of Memory, 11800 West Highway 54, Wichita, KS 67209.

As an expression of sympathy, the family has designated donations in Shirleys honor may be made to:

Wichita Symphony Orchestra, 225 W Douglas Ave #207, Wichita, Kansas 67202 or https://wichitasymphony.org/ and/or Music Theatre Wichita, 225 W Douglas Ave, Wichita, Kansas 67202 or https://mtwichita.org/.