Shirley Eudena (Kelley) Morrow

Shirley Eudena (Kelley) Morrow passed away on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at Tiffany Springs in Kansas City, Missouri. She was born on May 14, 1937, the daughter of Arvin Clarence and Eudena (Garten) Kelley. Shirley was the youngest of four children and the only daughter. The Kelley family lived on their farm in the Mount Bethel area of Weston, Missouri.

She attended Valley Forest School, the same school where her father attended when he was a young boy. For several years her mode of transportation to and from school was her faithful horse, Midnight. Shirley tied him to a tree outside the school and brought him water throughout the day before making the trek home after classes ended. Besides attending school, Shirley helped farm the land with her parents. In her spare time she enjoyed taking care of her horses and participating in rodeo events as a barrel racer.

After completing elementary school, she attended West Platte High School, where she graduated from in 1955. After graduation, Shirley went to Northwest Missouri State in Maryville, Missouri, where she was a student for two years. After college, she moved to Leavenworth where she worked for the Kansas Power and Light Company there and then the Water Department.

On September 15, 1962, Shirley Eudena Kelley and James Ronald Morrow were united in marriage at the St. Ignatius Chapel in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. They made their home in Leavenworth, and soon became a family of four with the arrival of two sons, Randy and Ricky. Eleven years later there was a surprise addition to their family when the youngest son, Robby, entered the world.

In 1969 the Morrow family moved to Kansas City, Kansas, and lived for a short time at North 78th Terr., just north of Parallel. They then moved to their home at 815 South 78th Street and were faithful members of St. Patrick's Catholic Church. Shirley was an active and involved mother for her sons while they attended St. Patrick’s Grade School and Bishop Ward High School. She was also a big supporter of them when they all participated in area sports programs, where Ron had coached their baseball teams for 22 years. Shirley was also involved in her family’s love of music, especially drums, which they all played.

Besides working at her jobs in earlier years, she was employed as a nanny to friends’ children. She was as devoted to them, as they were to her. After Ron’s retirement from the BPU, they raised and showed their German Shepherd dogs in the surrounding four-state area. For 30 years they also owned and operated "The Drum Pad" at their 78th Street house in Kansas City, Kansas, where the infamous "Drums for Sale" sign was posted at the end of their drive.

After Ron passed away, Shirley remained at her home until 2009 when the city took it, along with many of her neighbors’ homes. She moved to Platte County, Missouri, to live closer to her son, Rob, and his family. Shirley remained in contact with her old friends, enjoying going to the Bingo parlors and taking out-of-town trips. She so enjoyed attending her grandsons’ many sports events, as well as all the family holiday gatherings and birthday parties.

Her loving husband, Ron, passed away in September of 2005, just eight days before their 43rd wedding anniversary. Her brothers, Douglas, Robert and William also predeceased her, as well as her niece, Kimberly Kelley, and two nephews, Thomas and Doug Kelley.

Left to mourn her passing were three sons, Randal Lee “Randy” Morrow of Key West FL, Richard Alan “Rick” Morrow of Pembroke Pines FL, Robert Patrick “Rob” Morrow and his wife, Kathleen, of Parkville MO; two grandsons, Zayne (Taylor) and Blake Morrow; granddaughter, Marina Morrow Unrein; several nieces, nephews and cousins, as well as her dear friends.

“We will always remember Shirley for her love of children, all the sporting events she attended, especially baseball games, and all the band practices at their home, and the music that came out of the basement at 78th Street.”