Shirley Jean Sibley (1930-2008)
SIBLEY, STENSO, KING, MAHER, ENGEL
Posted By: Ames Tribune
Date: 8/20/2008 at 21:08:12
AMES TRIBUNE, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Wednesday, August 20, 2008.
March 12, 1930-Aug. 16, 2008
Shirley Jean Sibley, of Ellensburg, Wash., died Saturday, Aug. 16, 2008, after a very short, courageous battle with cancer. Funeral mass was celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 20, at Assumption Catholic Church in Seattle.
Shirley Jean Sibley was born March 12, 1930, in Balfour N.D., the second daughter of Oscar and Astrid Stenso. She attended a country school for grades 1 through 4, located three miles from home. She walked to and from school often. In the winter, her father built a small shed with a stove and placed the shed on a two-horse sleigh. Their father drove the team from within the shed through a slit cut in the wall of the shed. She attended grades 5 through 12 at Balfour School. She lived in an apartment in town with her sister during the winter months, and she graduated from Balfour High School in 1947. After graduation, she moved to Fargo, N.D., and worked for a jewelry store. In the evenings, she attended secretarial school.
She met her husband, Earl, in Fargo, N.D., in 1947. In 1950, they moved to Manhattan, Kan., moving to Moscow, Idaho, in 1952, Pullman, Wash., in 1955, and finally moving to Seattle in 1960, where they lived until June 2008, when they moved to Ellensburg, Wash. During their life together, she and her husband traveled extensively, both domestically and internationally.
She was an accomplished knitter, seamstress and pianist. She played piano and organ for her church and for the Fircrest Choir. She loved her work as a Eucahristic Minister at Assumption Church in Seattle.
She attended North Seattle Community College and obtained an associate degree as a medical assistant and then continued to attend college as she enjoyed learning about other cultures.
She was an inspiration to her fellow members of the Amputee Support Group at Harborview since 2003.
She was a wonderful mother, friend and a great listener who will be missed by all.
She is survived by the love of her life, Earl; three daughters, Susan (Matt) King, of Seattle, Jacki Sibley, of Ellensburg, Wash., and Kelly (Kevin) Maher, of Ames; and four grandchildren, Erinn and Jamie King and Adam and Miranda Maher.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Oscar and Astrid Stenso; one sister, Delores Engel; and one grandson, Joshua David King.
We will miss you, Mom.
Remembrances may be made to the Amputee Support Group at Harborview Hospital, 325 Ninth Ave. Seattle, WA, 98104.
Hoffner Fisher and Harvey, 508 N. 36th St., Seattle, WA, 98103, was in charge of arrangements.
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