Shirley Edith Anderson Duffey

Shirley Edith Anderson Duffey was born December 31, 1929, several months premature to Bud and Edith Anderson. Her parents had already lost one baby girl due to a premature birth and when Shirley was born her Daddy looked up to the heavens and said, “Sorry God, I’m keeping this one.” Bud immediately called his brother-in-law, Reverend Edgar Austell, who founded and pastored the first First Assembly of God Church in Grand Junction, Colorado. They went to prayer begging for Shirley’s life as she weighed only 1 ½ pounds. Her Daddy built an incubator bed out of bricks and heated the bricks by an old coal and wood stove. Bud and Edith placed their baby girl into a wooden shoe box, lined with flannel and laid her in the warm brick bed. They covered the top with white outing flannel to keep in the heat. Bud cut the toe out of one of his socks and placed it on her tiny head under a tea cup. Bud told Edith to take off her wedding band and when she ask why??? Bud said, you know our love is eternal and if Shirley constantly feels our love, our little “Sis” will make it. Bud then slid her Mama’s wedding ring, size 5, onto Shirley’s tiny wrist and she wore that wedding band as a bracelet for many months. Bud milked his cows and fed his baby the warm cow’s cream from an eye dropper. To carry her, they pinned her diaper to a pillow. Shirley made it because she was continually reminded of their deep and eternal love for her and each other. Due to her premature birth Shirley’s eyes didn’t develop properly and she spent her entire life struggling to see, but Shirley was strong and determined.

Shirley was an accomplished acrobat, pianist, excellent student and a math whiz. She led the Parade as the Drum Majorette for her high school band – Fruitvale High. Shirley fell in love with her neighbor, Laurence Roy Duffey, and they were married until his death in 1999.

Shirley owned and operated Shirley’s Draperies for over 25 years. She loved gardening, teaching Sunday School, heading the Church Nursery, cooking, and living in the original farm home her parents raised her and her two younger brothers in.

Shirley is survived by her brother, James (Andy) Anderson (Nola) of Aloha, OR; daughter, Sharon Dodson; grandson, Casey Dodson (Joy); granddaughter, Lorie Zellner (Randy); and three great-grandchildren, Amber McClure (Mike), Aaron Frick, and Ashley Frick. Shirley’s youngest brother, Jerry Anderson, preceded her in death.