IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Shirley
Staerkel
December 2, 1934 – April 20, 2025
Obituary
We are heartbroken to announce the passing of Shirley Mae (Peters) Staerkel, on April 20, 2025, from complications of heart and lung diseases at the age of 90. She was born on December 2, 1934, in Black Creek, Wisconsin to Lester Harvey Peters and Gurtrude Anne (Geer) Peters.
In December 1952, Shirley graduated from Oshkosh High and married her high school sweetheart, David "Boots" H. Staerkel, in July of 1953. David and Shirley celebrated 69 years of marriage before David's passing in 2022.
Shirley's hands were rarely still with spending many hours crocheting, plastic canvas, latch hooking, sewing, beading, and embordering. She loved cooking and hosting big Christmas parties and cookouts at the cottage, where she enjoyed family and friends and endless conversations around the bonfire while catfishing.
Her greatest joy was spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, making memories with camping and fishing trips to Canada, sleepovers, catching frogs, and speedy goose chases. There was never a dull moment with Grandma.
For 17 years, Shirley was employed by the United States Post Office, but she had a real passion for yard work and fostering a baby deer she named "Bambi," and a mischievous pet raccoon named "Bandit," at her home in Omro, Wisconsin.
When she retired in October of 1992, Boots and Shirley became snowbirds and enjoyed traveling to their Arizona home. In sunny Arizona, Shirley enjoyed the warm outdoors, her hobbies, shuffle boarding, line dancing, feeding her hummingbirds, and evenings sitting around the fire listening to the coyotes. Shirley also enjoyed gambling were ever her travels took her.
Shirley is survived by her four children, David Staerkel, Larry Staerkel, Cynthia (Gene) Mezzano, and Debra (Alan) Longworth; 10 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Elsie Schaeffer, and Gwen (Bobby) Williams; brother-in-law, Phillip (Donna) Staerkel; sisters-in-law, Jeane (William) Vincent, Nancy Veith, and Mary Staerkel; and many additional relatives and friends.
Shirley is proceeded in death by her husband, David H. Staerkel; sisters-in-law, June (Don) Gordon, Geraldine (Howard) Dobbratz, and Ellen Staerkel; bothers-in-law, Bruce Staerkel, Dick Schaeffer, and David Veith; and her two beloved pet dogs, Tuffy and Durango.
A special thank you to everyone who made it possible for Shirley to reside in her home as long as possible.
Save your memories of all the great times you had with Shirley and remember the smell of her freshly baked buns.
At Shirley's request there will be no formal services held.
In December 1952, Shirley graduated from Oshkosh High and married her high school sweetheart, David "Boots" H. Staerkel, in July of 1953. David and Shirley celebrated 69 years of marriage before David's passing in 2022.
Shirley's hands were rarely still with spending many hours crocheting, plastic canvas, latch hooking, sewing, beading, and embordering. She loved cooking and hosting big Christmas parties and cookouts at the cottage, where she enjoyed family and friends and endless conversations around the bonfire while catfishing.
Her greatest joy was spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, making memories with camping and fishing trips to Canada, sleepovers, catching frogs, and speedy goose chases. There was never a dull moment with Grandma.
For 17 years, Shirley was employed by the United States Post Office, but she had a real passion for yard work and fostering a baby deer she named "Bambi," and a mischievous pet raccoon named "Bandit," at her home in Omro, Wisconsin.
When she retired in October of 1992, Boots and Shirley became snowbirds and enjoyed traveling to their Arizona home. In sunny Arizona, Shirley enjoyed the warm outdoors, her hobbies, shuffle boarding, line dancing, feeding her hummingbirds, and evenings sitting around the fire listening to the coyotes. Shirley also enjoyed gambling were ever her travels took her.
Shirley is survived by her four children, David Staerkel, Larry Staerkel, Cynthia (Gene) Mezzano, and Debra (Alan) Longworth; 10 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Elsie Schaeffer, and Gwen (Bobby) Williams; brother-in-law, Phillip (Donna) Staerkel; sisters-in-law, Jeane (William) Vincent, Nancy Veith, and Mary Staerkel; and many additional relatives and friends.
Shirley is proceeded in death by her husband, David H. Staerkel; sisters-in-law, June (Don) Gordon, Geraldine (Howard) Dobbratz, and Ellen Staerkel; bothers-in-law, Bruce Staerkel, Dick Schaeffer, and David Veith; and her two beloved pet dogs, Tuffy and Durango.
A special thank you to everyone who made it possible for Shirley to reside in her home as long as possible.
Save your memories of all the great times you had with Shirley and remember the smell of her freshly baked buns.
At Shirley's request there will be no formal services held.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Shirley Staerkel, please visit our flower store.
Shirley Staerkel's Guestbook
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