Recipes for Living Shirley Ann Woods

Shirley died suddenly on July 5, 1999. She had been battling cancer for several years and was now beginning her second round of chemotherapy. When traces were found in her liver, the prognosis was not good, but she continued to do all and perhaps more than she felt like doing. The end was not predictable. The following obituary and eulogy will show why her sudden demise was a shock. Rev. James Louk officiated at her service; Teri Dinham was the organist, Linda Bachman the soloist, and Fern Underwood the eulogist.

Shirley Ann Woods, the only child of L. B. and Margaret Lingle Woods, died of cancer in her home in Osceola, Iowa, July 5, 1999, at the age of 59.

Shirley was a lifelong resident of Clarke County, Iowa, having been born in her grandparents' home in Osceola, receiving her formal education in Osceola #5 rural school and graduating from Osceola High School in 1958. Her education was expanded in the 25 years she worked at Friday Insurance Agency, extensive travel in mission projects and her personally founded and operated Shirley Woods Tours, which covered the nation and a tour of England. In each case, relationships deepened and new friends were made including celebrities in Nashville, Tennessee; Branson, Missouri; and the Homeland singers from Carlisle, Iowa. Along with shutins who regularly received visits and, in some cases, tapes of Sunday morning worship services, these travelers became her family; for Shirley never married to create a family of her own. She also had close associations within the organizations of which she was a member-Osceola United Methodist Church, Cancer Support Group, Celebration Brass, and Heifer Project International, for which she was an avid promoter.

The memorial service was held Friday morning, July 9, 1999, at 10:00 in the Osceola United Methodist Church, at her request a celebration of life. It was followed by interment of the cremains in Maple Hill Cemetery, Osceola, Iowa, and lunch served in her honor at the church.

Surviving her is her father, L.B. (Pike) Woods, living in Long Term Care at the Clarke County Hospital, Osceola, Iowa; uncles, aunts, cousins, a host of friends, and her dog, Rocky.

Memorials may be made to Heifer Project International, Route 2, Box #33, Perryville, Arkansas, 72126.

It seems presumptuous for me or any one of us to speak for all at this time, for each one would have our own story to tell about what Shirley meant to us. A verse in Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians says, "We do not grieve as others do who have no hope." We come to celebrate life in accordance with Shirley's request and to praise and thank God for sparing her agonizing days in a hospital. Instead, she celebrated the 4th of July, attending activities during the day, even including fireworks that evening.

My earliest recollection of acquaintance with Shirley was in a high school Sunday school class in the old church. She was so shy in those days that she never said a word, but there was no one more faithful. That is what a pastor friend of mine used for a two-word summary of the book of Revelation, "Be faithful". Revelation being imaged for us as the conclusion, the ultimate victory of life, we release Shirley knowing that she passed the test.

Shirley remained extremely shy throughout high school and in the beginning years at Friday Insurance Agency, but C.D. Friday encouraged her until, before her decision to retire from that employment after 25 years, she was an agent and a number of clients asked for her personally when they had insurance questions.

During this time, a situation arose when it appeared that a long-planned youth trip to Washington, D.C. would have to be cancelled. Mr. Friday said that must not be and, under his direction, Shirley made the arrangements and supervised the tour. She used that knowledge and experience as she became youth leader in our church. They did work projects to fund other trips such as one to Eureka Springs to see the Passion Play, or to Des Moines to Cubs games and other activities. Fun and spirituality were combined under Shirley's leadership. We have never had a larger, more close-knit, energetic youth group than then. Her enthusiasm was contagious and the youth were uplifted by her spirit.

All of that combined to initiate what eventually became Shirley Woods Tours in which she took travelers to scenic places and special events within Iowa and throughout the nation, into Canada and a tour of England. She opened the way to many experiences for people who might well not have traveled otherwise. This expanded her personal relationships with travelers as well as celebrities in Nashville, Tennessee; Branson, Missouri; and particularly the Homeland Singers from Carlisle, Iowa. She and I attended their performance two weeks ago tonight on the square. It seemed important that we include one of their numbers on tape as part of her service.

I remember distinctly the evening Shirley and her friend, Laura Brown, came to test their new idea of quitting their paying jobs and going out as full time volunteers to mission places throughout the country. Thus began Shirley Woods Missions. She often remarked that we who are blessed to live in this area do not know the meaning of being "poor''. She and Laura worked in Appalachian communities, helped churches with short term projects from classrooms to manual labor, and other activities. On one occasion she worked with Jimmy Carter in a Habitat for Humanities project. She allowed us to be involved by contributing to her work and livelihood.

This opened the door to first-name relationships with directors of missions. Shirley saw the desperate need and came home to accept our cast-off clothing, sort and ship it to Mountain TOP and Nashville, Tennessee; or delivering it to Hawthorn Hill, Bidwell-Riverside, Bethel, and Door of Faith Missions in Des Moines. She even sought out and found a way to have some clothes delivered to an Indian reservation in South Dakota.

At some point in her travels she became aware of and completely sold on the mission of Heifer Project International. She went there to stay occasionally, worked in the Visitor's Center and conducted tours on the Global Village Trail. She also worked with the animals, which she particularly enjoyed. Her own dogs Doc, BJ and presently Rocky were a very important part of her life. Summarizing what she did when she visited H.P.I., the office manager said, "Shirley was willing to do whatever needed to be done.” Each winter she has undertaken and/or assisted in arrangements for the annual Iowa Friends of H.P.I. reunion; was Coordinator for the H.P.I. booth at the state fair, and spoke to churches and groups throughout Iowa promoting its mission.

It is beyond words to say how much Shirley will be missed by all of these and local friends. There has never been a more conscientious Parish Visitor and she continued to call on shut-ins and others regularly. She will be missed in the organizations to which she belonged. A member of the Cancer Support Group remarked about her faithfulness in attendance, and whenever she heard of a new case being diagnosed, she made a call.

This is what became of the shy little girl as she attempted to and did make the world better for many people.

The Homeland Trio selection was "I'm Free" and the following is the hymn Linda Bachman chose to sing:

In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree;
in cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of winter there's a spring that waits to be,
unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

There's a song in every silence, seeking word and melody;
there's a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me.
From the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery,
unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;
in our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity; in our
death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory, unrevealed until
its season, something God alone can see.