Shirley Ann Shoemake

Shirley Ann Holcomb-Phipps-Shoemake

Our mother, Shirley Ann Holcomb-Phipps-Shoemake, went to be with our Lord and Savior on Aug. 24, 2012 at the age of 76, after a long battle with ovarian cancer.

She was born May 22, 1936 to Florence and Arthur Roth in Clearwater, Neb. The family later moved to Crawford, Neb. where she attended grade school and high school. She was united in marriage to Ramon Holcomb, also of Crawford, on Aug. 19, 1952. After making their home in Crawford for a short time, they moved to the state of Washington, where they resided in Spokane, Othello, and Moses Lake. To this union four children were born, Alan, Larry, Sharon and Lisa.

In 1969, Shirley and family returned to live in Cozad, Neb. and in 1973 moved back to Crawford. Shirley made a loving home for her family in every place they lived. She had a way of brightening everyone's day and became instant friends with whomever she met. On March 6, 1984 she received her GED high school diploma. While living in Crawford she worked at the Ponderosa Villa Nursing Home until 1989. On March 4, 1989, she was united in marriage to Bob Phipps of Lusk, Wyo. Shirley and Bob made their home ranching outside of Lusk until Bob's sudden death in June, 1991. She moved into town where she worked providing daily lunch meals and companionship to senior citizens at the Sunshine Senior Center for 12 years. She also provided counseling services to women inmates, at the women's prison facility outside Lusk.

She met Hartford "Sonny" Shoemake in 2003, and in 2004 moved to Devine, Texas where she and Sonny made their home until her passing. Shirley was a wonderful cook and prepared excellent meals. She enjoyed flower and vegetable gardening, crocheting, playing bingo, and visiting with all her friends at the game room in Devine.

Shirley was preceded in death by her mother and father, Florence and Arthur Roth, brothers Dorsey, Lester, and Dwight and sister Goldie. She is survived by her sister June and husband Jimmie Pierce, her soul mate, Sonny Shoemake, son Alan and wife Tina Holcomb, son Larry Holcomb, daughter Sharon and husband David Robbins, daughter Lisa and husband Lee Young, daughter-in-law Pam and husband Melvin "Spunky" Seiler, ten grandchildren Keith, Christopher, and Jeffrey Holcomb, Joseph and Emma Robbins, Liana Lemmon, Sydney, Ian and Jake Young, and Tyler Seiler, three great grandchildren Jaeger and Jacek Holcomb and Teagan Holcomb. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, Aug. 30 at 10 a.m. at Divine Savior Lutheran Church in Devine. Funeral arrangements are being made through Meadowlawn & American Mortuary in San Antonio. Interment will be at Brummett Cemetery at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund at www.ocrf.org.

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