Flossie F Shirley

SHIRLEY FISHER

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/16/2010 at 16:33:04

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Flossie F Shirley
By Mrs. Flossie F Shirley

Mrs. Flossie Fern Shirley was born January 8, 1902, in the town of Danbury, Iowa, to Mr. and Mrs. R P and Harriet Williams Fisher. A year later they and their friends took their household possessions on a train and headed for Rumbey, Alberta, Canada. They settled on a homestead. There Jimmy Fisher was born and at the age of eight he was killed by a pony of his friend’s on the way home from school.

At the age of four, Flossie started to the school that was located on their homestead. Church was held on Sundays in this schoolhouse.

Three of the Fisher children were born near Rumbey, Alberta, Canada. Jimmie, Alice Fisher Leetch, and Rowley Fisher all have passed away. Still living are: Mrs. Maude Westhoff and Mrs. Emma Lischen of LeMars, Iowa; Mrs Hazel Ronfeldt of Smithland, Iowa; and Robert Fisher of Anthon, Iowa.

In 1915 the Fishers had a sale at Rumbey and moved back to Danbury. Then in 1918 they moved to a farm at Anthon, Iowa. There Flossie met Ernest Nool Shirley of Oto, the Illinois Central Railroad Depot Agent and Telegraph Operator. They were married at Anthon, December 20, 1923. The five-room house over the depot was their home until the railroad discontinued the train service in 1942. Then they moved to Quimby for five months; June 16, 1943, they moved back to Anthon and bought a home. Ernest had started his railroad career in Anthon after graduating from college in Springfield, Illinois, and Chicago; and he ended his career there when he passed away, February 21, 1962.

Flossie had a sale, June 5, 1982, and moved into the Anthon Retirement Home where she now lives. She has been a member of the OES Order of the Eastern Star since 1925 and is a Past Matron. She is also a Past Noble Grand of the Rebekah Lodge and is now the Goodwill Industries Ambassador since 1963 and a past officer of the American Legion Auxiliary. She held several offices in the WSCS, now UMW, from 1944 to 1982, when she gave up her office of Christian Personhood which she had held for eighteen years. She was honored at the meeting in December, 1982, by the UMW President.

When in Oto, Flossie earned her Red Cross pin. She belonged to Women’s Club and held the office of Secretary of Mite Society several years. She enjoys attending Sunday School and church, crocheting, reading, attending card parties, traveling, and her hobbies and collections; she had over a thousand sets of salt and pepper, 48 bells, 50 souvenir spoons, 50 plates, several cup and saucer sets, and numerous stamps and view cards. She has been in every state but Arizona.