Shirley Ferguson Girod

Our beloved mother, Shirley Jane Ferguson Girod passed away on February 25, 2023, at the age of 89 at the Healthcare Resort of Colorado Springs due to natural causes. Her daughters and extended family are heartbroken to lose someone so special. She was a wonderful mother who will be deeply missed.

She was predeceased by her father, Ancil M. Ferguson, her mother, Gladys A. Ferguson, and her sister Margaret Ann Ferguson.

Shirley was survived by her husband, John Gordon Girod, who passed away two days later. Shirley is survived by her 3 daughters and their husbands: Jane Ann and Jerry Rigney of Hawaii, Sharon Ann and Ronald Kicinski of California, Margaret Ann and Richard Rinker of Arizona, Himself the Cat, grandsons Nicholas Rinker and Galen Howe, great grandchildren Cambri, Morgan, Victoria, Violet and Josie, and numerous granddogs and grandcats.

Shirley was born in Gladewater, Texas but her home was Crowley, Louisiana. After graduating from Crowley High School in 1952, Shirley attended Southwestern Louisiana Institute (SLI now known as Louisiana University at Lafayette) graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. Shirley was a member of Sigma, Sigma, Sigma social sorority, Kappa Delta Phi honorary educational fraternity, the Wesley Foundation, campus Red Jackets, and Lambda Omega. She then attended Louisiana State

University and received a Masters of Arts Degree in Business. In addition to a career of teaching, Shirley worked many years as a civilian DOD employee at NORAD and Peterson Air Force Base.

Shirley and Gordon met on campus at the Wesley Methodist Center on the first day of their freshman semester at Louisiana Southwestern Institute. That meeting began a 71 year journey which included 66 years of marriage, the birth of 3 daughters and a relationship based in friendship, filled with love and an unending commitment to care for each other. They lived their lives together following the motto of their college, Fortiter, Feliciter, Fidelitier (Boldly, Happily, Faithfully).

Together they practiced their faith in God and a commitment to community service. Shirley was a Girl Scout troop leader, Girl Scout camp counselor at Kamp Kiwanis, Worthy Grand Matron of the Order of Eastern Star for the Grand Chapter of Colorado, Worthy Matron for the Glen Eyrie Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star, and Bethel Guardian for Job’s Daughters Bethel #23 of Colorado Springs.

A joint memorial service for Shirley and Gordon is scheduled for March 13, 2023 in the Lindbergh Chapel at First United Methodist Church in Colorado Springs. It will be immediately followed by a grave side burial ceremony at Pikes Peak National Cemetery in Colorado Springs. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children.