Collins, Shirley A. (Anfinson) Meyer 1931 - 2018

COLLINS, MEYER, WAGNER, ANFINSON, WALLERSTEDT, BRAINARD, SHUMAN, SCHROEDER, EMERY, MINTON

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/19/2024 at 21:00:46

Shirley A. (Meyer) Collins, age 87, of Decorah, Iowa, died Sunday, December 30, 2018 at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, WI.

Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 5, 2019 at Decorah Lutheran Church with Rev. Allen Vik and Rev. James Glesne officiating. Burial will be in the Postville Cemetery, Postville, Iowa.

Visitation begins on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, one hour before the service, at Decorah Lutheran Church.

Shirley Ann (Anfinson) (Meyer) Collins was born on September 25, 1931 in West Union, Iowa, the only daughter of Clarence and Thelma Ruth (Wagner) Anfinson. She graduated from West Union High School with the class of 1949, then from Iowa State Teacher’s College in Cedar Falls with the class of 1953. She began her teaching career at Postville High School from 1955 to 1957 as a music teacher and chorus director.

Shirley was united in marriage to Gordon N. Meyer on June 16, 1957 in West Union, Iowa. They were blessed with three children: Lisa, Gretchen and Alan. She taught school in Central City until the family moved to Redfield where Shirley and Gordon ran the Redfield Hardware store. In 1964 they moved to Postville where Shirley taught music in the high school. She also went to summer school to earn her master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Iowa and was the high school librarian for Postville until her retirement in 1991. Shirley and Gordon divorced in 1981.

Shirley was united in marriage to Carlton “Bud” Collins on October 2, 1993 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Postville. She was a member of the Eastern Star, Delta Kappa Gamma, American Legion Auxiliary, St. Paul Lutheran Church in Postville and later Decorah Lutheran Church. Shirley and Bud moved to Decorah in March of 2006. She enjoyed traveling and reading.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her son Alan on December 8, 2017; and her granddaughter Christina Wallerstedt on January 9, 2011.

Shirley is survived by her husband Carlton “Bud” Collins; two daughters, Lisa Brainard (Neal) of German Valley, IL and Gretchen Meyer (Steve Shuman) of Ames, IA; step-daughter, Sherrie Wallerstedt (Steve) of Des Moines, IA; daughter-in-law, Colleen Schroeder Meyer of Scottsdale, AZ; five grandchildren: Travis Brainard (Tondalaya) of Bourbonnais, IL, Troy Brainard (fiancé Amy Lobdell) of Kankakee, IL, Stephanie Brainard of Rockford, IL, Carlee Meyer (Albert Emery) of Ridgeway, IA and Lindsey Meyer (fiancé Jon Hackman) of Dyersville, IA; and three great-grandchildren: Caitlyn Minton, Erik Brainard and Adam Brainard of Bourbonnais, IL.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be given to Aase Haugen Senior Services, 4 Ohio Street, Decorah, IA 52101 or Service Excellence Guest Suites, Gundersen Medical Foundation, 1836 South Avenue, La Crosse, WI 54601.

Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database

Postville Cemetery
 

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