Shirley Griesbach

Shirley Bea McCann Griesbach was born November 23, 1929, in her Granddad Bert and Grandma Cora’s farm home in Edison, Nebraska, and went to be with her Lord and Savior on July 15, 2024. Shirley was the eldest of three children born to Howard and Lois McCann.

Shirley’s greatest blessing was being born into a Christian family of Bible students, school, and Sunday School teachers, and growing up on a Nebraska farm; receiving Jesus as Savior at age five, renewing that commitment on Pearl Harbor Sunday, December 7, 1941, and being baptized in the Republican River at age 13.

Shirley’s life’s motto was “Live for those who love you, for those who think you’re true, for the God who reigns above you, and the good that you can do” [Author Unknown], and Shirley took strength in Psalm 71 (“My Psalm” she termed); several verses which struck her with intensified meaning on her 25th Birthday.

Many times, she was reminded of Verse 16, “I will go in the strength of the Lord God.”; Verse 20 being a reminder of the difficulties of life, but also the hope of new resurrection life; and Verse 22 referring to music and singing- always important in her life – and in her own words “is a final hymn of praise to the God who has been my strength and song from youth to old age.”

Shirley’s best decision was to begin working on her Master’s Degree in Business Education at Colorado State College in Greeley, Colorado. Her most serendipitous occurrence was accompanying a friend to the Eastern United States, meeting the President of Greenville College, a Free Methodist college, on the steps of the church and having a job interview over Sunday dinner in the cafeteria.

Her most unexpected occurrence was meeting her husband Don, an Industrial Arts and Graphic Arts teacher from Wisconsin at an Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship picnic in Colorado while they were studying for their Master’s degrees. Even more unexpected, while Shirley and Don were dating, while listening to a sermon that used references to building boats, Shirley thought God told her “I made him for you.” Don and Shirley were married for almost fifty years; their marriage ending on Don’s death in 2008.

Shirley had many accomplishments for which she was proud, but her greatest achievement was raising a family of five children (Alden, Lois, Randy, Pam, and Linda) who have been employed as a Tax Researcher, Teacher of Native American children on a reservation, Civil Engineer for Wyoming Highways, Chief Financial Officer for a school district, and Teacher’s Assistant in a classroom of emotionally disturbed children before entering her preferred area of culinary arts while also caring for Shirley.

Shirley won the County Written and Oral Spelling Contests for country school students in Grades 3, 4, and 5. She won the high jump at the County Girl’s Play Day as a high school freshman, was awarded a Silver Key for Journalism by the University of Nebraska two years in a row for news stories she wrote for her high school newspaper, and won a Superior rating for her trumpet solo her senior year of high school. But in Shirley’s opinion, her most surprising accomplishment was coaching the Hayes County (NE) High School Drill Team to a first-place finish in their Conference Competition in 1955.

Her most difficult accomplishment was recovering from Polio which affected her left leg a few weeks into her sophomore year of college, putting her in the hospital for six weeks, requiring her to wear a brace on her shoe, and to walk with a cane for a year.

Polio also led to her biggest disappointment: Being in the hospital and not getting to participate in the marching band half-time show featuring the playing of “Stardust,” with the field lights off, and flashlights on their band uniform caps.

Shirley had a diverse career, working as Vocal and Instrumental Music Director at Logan, Iowa; Vocal Music and Business Teacher at Trenton, Nebraska; Business and Music Teacher at Hayes Center, Nebraska; Business Instructor at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois; Sophomore and Senior English Teacher and Library Supervisor at Morrisonville, Illinois; Band and Vocal Instructor at Elizabeth, Colorado; Assistant Professor of Business Education at the University of South Dakota/Springfield for seventeen (17) years; and Secretary for the Superintendent and Governing Board of the Dysart Unified School District in El Mirage, Arizona for thirteen (13) years.

Shirley had a life-long hobby of writing poetry and self-published three books called “Arpeggio” which contain around 250 of her poems. Shirley’s love of words meant she could define just about any word when asked and she could recite poems by other authors including “The Swing” and “My Shadow”, both by Robert Lewis Stevenson. Shirley also loved to play Scrabble® and putting together picture puzzles.

Shirley retired to Sun City West, Arizona in 1997 and began attending Church on the Green in 2004. Shirley previously attended Skyway Church of the West Valley where she directed the Children’s Church and played trumpet in the Skyway worship band.

Shirley was active and served in leadership roles within the Sun City Area Poetry Society and the Arizona State Poetry Society. She was a member of the Shirley Club beginning in December 2000. Shirley also faithfully walked in the Beardsley Recreation Center Pool at 6:00 a.m., six days a week, for many years.

In Shirley’s words, her greatest opportunity was directing the Children Church Choir in Morrisonville, Illinois, and she contributed to at least one girl’s decision to major in music and teach music at a Christian school. Shirley also taught the Adult Sunday School Class for the Avon Wesleyan Church in Avon, South Dakota; sponsored a Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship Chapter and an Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship Chapter, helping write their Constitution, at the University of South Dakota/Springfield. Shirley was also privileged to be the Conductor for a three-town Easter Cantata in Bon Homme County, South Dakota for several years.

Shirley is survived by her five children, many grandchildren, great grandchildren, and other extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents, Howard, and Lois; her nephew, Tony; her husband, Don; her granddaughter, Clarissa; and her brothers, Brad, and Doug.

The family would like to thank Avista Memory Care and Desert Valley Hospice for the care and compassion they showed Shirley over her last years.

Family and friends are invited to a Funeral Service at Surprise Funeral Care, 16063 West Bell Road, Surprise, Arizona 85374 on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. Visitation will be Wednesday, July 31, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at Surprise Funeral Care with Graveside Service at Sunland Memorial Park, 15826 N Del Webb Blvd, Sun City, AZ 85351 on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at 11:30 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Shirley’s honor to an organization you feel represents her life.

Despite all the opportunities Shirley had, in her own words, her “most amazing opportunity was that God opened doors to a shy little country girl to touch hundreds of lives.”