Shirley Anne Grumbly-Walker

SHIRLEY A. (WANDLER) GRUMBLY-WALKER, 91, passed away on January 11, 2025, in Spokane, WA. Shirley was the last of six children born to Joseph Wandler, Sr., and Alice Meunier in Spokane, and the last of them to enter the heavenly gates. She graduated from Rogers High School, where she met her husband, James “Jim” Grumbly, Jr. They married in 1951, and she was devoted to him for 48 years until he passed in 1999. Together they created a tight, life-long bond with siblings, nieces, and nephews. At 36, she and Jim were proud to adopt J. Scott Grumbly, the apple of their eye. She was delighted when she gained a daughter through Scott’s wife, Connie, and her granddaughters were born; she adored her grandchildren. At 73, Shirley married Richard “Jack” Walker, and they were inseparable for 11 years until he died in 2017. Shirley loved fiercely.

Throughout her life, Shirley was a devoted Catholic and attended Mass every weekend – either at her home parish or in Idaho in the summer. She was head of the St John Vianney Altar Society for many years, organizing and working craft fairs, rummage sales, bake sales, bingo, and serving communion and meals for various events. Her (and the Society’s) proudest accomplishment was raising funds, commissioning, and designing custom-stained windows for the parish sanctuary. Professionally, Shirley worked for her brother-in-law, Harry Batty, in his CPA firm. Then she and Jim owned a short-haul trucking company. Most of her career, however, was with Kaiser Aluminum-Mead, where she was the Controller/Human Resources for 39 years until her retirement. She loved spending time at her lake places on Newman and CDA with friends and family and continued to jet ski into her 80s. She enjoyed playing the piano and hosting parties, especially the annual Wandler Family Christmas parties she and her sister, Jo, had started roughly 50 years ago and is still going strong. She was known for her strong Manhattans (traveling bar, anyone?) and sayings such as “You don’t have to be crazy, but it helps.” She loved a good laugh and a harmless practical joke. Many crafts, cakes, gingerbread houses, sugar easter eggs, and quilts were made and gifted far and wide among family members.

She is survived by her son and daughter-in-Law, J. Scott Grumbly and Connie Grumbly, granddaughters, Meghan Tran (Vinh), and Olivia Grumbly, and great-grandson, Kai Tran, as well as her brother-in-law, Mark Grumbly (Joanne), and sister-in-law, Laura Prichard, and many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A memorial service will be held at St. John Vianney Parish on February 13, 2025, at 2:00 pm. A reception will follow at Thornhill Funeral Home on South Pines in the Valley. Her cremains will be laid to rest in the St. John Vianney Chapel in a private ceremony.