Shirley L. Longwell 1926 - 2014

LONGWELL

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/28/2014 at 12:35:04

Sioux City Journal
24 October 2014

EMERSON, Neb. | Shirley L. Longwell, 88, of Emerson passed away Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014, at Pender Community Hospital in Pender, Neb.

Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Emerson, with the Rev. Gretchen Ritola officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, Sioux City. Visitation will begin at 5 p.m. today, with the family present at 6 p.m. and a prayer service at 8 p.m., at Becker-Hunt Funeral Home in South Sioux City.

Shirley was born on Feb. 3, 1926, in Hornick, Iowa. She graduated from Homer (Neb.) High School.

She married Merle D. Longwell on Nov. 26, 1944, in Durham, N.C. The couple moved to Holstein, Iowa, in 1970, and to West Point, Neb., in 1971. They operated a Sears Catalog store and owned a steak house. They moved to Sioux City in 1987.

Shirley was a member of First Lutheran Church in South Sioux City. She enjoyed playing cards and belonged to several card clubs. She was one of the biggest Husker fans. She always looked forward to spending time with her family and friends

Survivors include a daughter, Nancy and her husband, Terry Ropken of Bailey, Colo.; twins, Gayle and her husband, Eldon Miller of Emerson, and Gordon and his wife, JoAnn Longwell of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; twins, Kathy and her husband, Bruce Whittington of Magnolia, Ky., and Kevin Longwell of Englewood, Colo.; a daughter, Pati and her husband, Dan Longoria of Lincoln, Neb.; a brother, William "Bill" Heck of Gresham, Wis.; two sisters, Bonnie and her husband, Jim Rossiter of South Sioux City, and Mary Ann Robertson of Pender; 19 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Merle on April 24, 2001; a daughter, Pam Riley; two sisters, Genevieve, and Esther; six brothers, Alvin, Joe, Virgil "Bud", George, Bob and Jack Heck; one grandson; and one great-grandson.