She was born August 4, 1933 on the family farm in Kearney County, south of Heartwell, NE, to Daniel Erwin and Anna Marie (Olsen) Johnson, the youngest of seven siblings. Shirley started first grade in 1938 at District 4 in Kearney County, walking a mile to school from the farm. In the winter when the snow was deep, sister Wilma would walk in front of her to break the trail, with sister Delores behind to protect the youngest from the wind. She graduated from Minden High School in 1950 and enrolled at Kearney State Teachers College, sometimes taking time off to work full-time. She graduated in May 1956 with a Bachelor's degree in Education and accepted a contract to teach at Loomis, Nebraska High School.
On December 27, 1956 she married Theodore Leigh Anderson at the Methodist Church in Kearney, NE.
In 1957, they moved to Lincoln where Ted was accepted to the University of Nebraska College of Dentistry. In November 1957, their first child was born. Ted graduated in 1961, and they moved to Lexington. She raised her four children and kept a beautiful home in Lexington until 1992 when they moved to Lincoln to be closer to their kids. Shirley enjoyed traveling, taking many trips with her sisters, including a cruise to Canada with sister Wilma, Shari and niece Melanie, and a trip to Denmark, Norway and Sweden with sister Fran. She loved family and friends, and enjoyed keeping in touch by writing cards, notes and letters. In her later years, she even grew to love texting, anything to keep in touch with those she loved.
She is survived by her beloved and adored husband of 61 years, Ted; four children: Shari Anderson, Todd Anderson, Terry (Kelli) Anderson and Lori (Philip) Rush; seven grand children: Walker T Anderson, Chase Anderson, Tate Anderson, Kaia Anderson, Max Rush, Eliot Anderson and Ben Rush; sister-in-law Margilu Peterson; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, and sisters and brother: Geraldine, Frances, Alice, Daniel Jr., Wilma and Delores. Special thanks to the staff at Bryan Medical Center East Campus, Dr. Michael Jobst, Specialty Clinic nurses; Ann Lif, Amanda and Lisa, for their skill, dedication and endless compassion. Funeral services will be held on Monday, August 20, 2018 at 11:00 am at Saint Paul United Methodist Church, 1144 M Street, Lincoln, with viewing at 10:00am.
Memorials suggested to:
http://www.mtko.org/
Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach
"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
Matthew 25:40
