Grant, Shirley J. Kirby (Lang) 1923-2014

GRANT, LANG, KIRBY, SIMEK, MILLER, HICKS, WAY, GORKOW, HARRIS, HUNT

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 6/30/2024 at 17:24:34

Shirley Joan Grant, 91, of Oelwein, formerly of Volga, passed on October 24, 2014, at Mercy Hospital of Franciscan Sisters in Oelwein. Originally from Strawberry Point, she lived most of her life in Volga.

Shirley was born to Check and Rose (Simek) Lang in Strawberry Point, Iowa, on April 28, 1923. The oldest of six children, she grew up and graduated high school in Strawberry Point.

Shirley was just 24 when her first husband Jerry Kirby, drowned in a fishing accident. They had been married six years, but he was gone to the war for four of those years. Three children were born to this union.

After Jerry's death, Shirley moved to Cedar Rapids with her three small children and took a job at Collins Radio. She worked there for seven years before she married Dr. Grant. Three children were born to this union.

Shirley was a lifelong resident of Iowa. She was a devout Catholic; active in church functions and the Rosary Society. Especially important to her was praying the rosary daily.

She was mayor of Volga from June 2, 1975, to December 31, 1995. Her most arduous and rewarding task as mayor was to have the sewer system installed in Volga.

She is survived by six children: Konny (Bill) Miller of Hazleton; Kenny (Peggy) Kirby of Toddville; Kathy (Larry) Hicks of Rogers, Arkansas; Anita Grant of Lake Port, California; Jamie (Denise) Grant of Volga and Jon Grant of Chicago, Illinois; 14 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; four siblings, Jack, Lucille, Barbara, Edgar 'Pete' and many friends.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husbands Jerry Kirby and Dr. Raymond Grant; two grand-daughters; a sister, Lois Way and three brothers-in-law, Charles Gorkow, Ray Harris and Herbert Hunt.

A mass of Christian burial was held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday November 5, 2014, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Volga with Rev. Paul R. Peters as Celebrant. Inurnment followed in the church cemetery. There was no visitation. Leonard Funeral Home and Cremation Service handled arrangements.

~Clayton Co. Register, Wednesday, November 12, 2014