Shirley Joyce Weirich

My beautiful, loving, tender Mom went to Heaven on November 21, 2024.

She had been weakened by a recent fall that fractured her pelvis and although she worked hard to get moving again, her body could not regain its strength because she was also struggling with long-term atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure. She made the courageous decision to spend the last precious weeks of her life at home with her family, where she was always happiest. She spent that time letting us know how much we are loved and that we would be loved by her forever. She never lost her astonishing memory and perpetual sense of humor.

Mom said there is no need for a big funeral, memorial service, or an obituary. Therefore, we will have a small family service at Fort Logan National Cemetery to honor her memory. Sharing a few wonderful memories about her life feels like something I can do for my Mom that I love so much.

Mom was born in rural, southwest Illinois at her Grandmas house as the middle of 5 kids where she lived with her parents, grandma and 2 older siblings until the age of 5 when her family moved to a farm in Bethalto, Illinois. They lived there with no electricity until she was 14 and no indoor plumbing until she was in her early 20’s but they raised animals and grew their own food with her Mom sewing their clothes and plenty of love to go around. She always said they were poor but so was everyone else, so they didn’t realize just how poor they were.

My Mom was a smart and strong woman who earned a full scholarship to attend nursing school. She worked as a nurse at Alton Memorial Hospital where she met my Dad while attending to his Mom who was her patient. They married after a short courtship and once they started a family my Mom chose to stay home and take care of her new family but continued to be a nurse to everyone, family and friends alike. We all depended on her for care and comfort when we were sick or injured.

She always had a first aid kit at the ready, whether at home or on the road and we all know that the first step to healing a cut is a thorough wash, butterfly bandage and a kiss.

After we moved to Colorado in the late 70’s, my Mom returned to work outside the home as a Para-Pro. She moved to the insurance industry for a few years before returning to healthcare where she worked in the I.V. Home Therapy Services industry until her retirement. She made certain her work was always close to home so if her kids needed her, she could be available. She and my Dad made several trips during these years and Mom loved to travel. They went on a couple of cruises, traveled to the Hawaiian islands, and Fred and I were fortunate enough to take a long trip with Mom and Dad to Europe visiting several countries together, stopping at almost every gelato shop along the way as Mom wanted, no, she NEEDED, to quality test them all in each country. It was an amazing adventure for all of us that I will never forget.

Mom loved her family and always made us her top priority whether it was as room Mom at school, sewing most of my clothes, active as Den Mom to my two brothers in Boy Scouts, cooking every meal, packing picnics for family outings, planning every family gathering, hosting endless family and friends wanting to visit once we moved to beautiful Colorado, organizing family trips, and being the go-to person for love, support, and often times when we just needed someone to listen to us.

She loved her grandchildren and loved nothing more than spending time with them, attending their activities, hearing their stories, laughing with them, participating in their games and their interests, learning from them, hanging out with them, getting hugs and kisses, giving hugs and kisses. She wanted to hear their stories, see their projects, talk about their lives, be involved in their world, understand their technology, and be a part of their lives. She helped raise them and in turn, they are loving, compassionate, funny, and caring young adults because they had her in their lives. 

She planned a family trip every year for the past 20 years so we could spend time together whether it was a long weekend or a week-long trip. She put in all the effort to be certain that everyone had something to do that was interesting to them and that we were going somewhere that everyone would enjoy. She asked for input, but she did all the planning, made all the reservations and if it was a road trip, she would pack lunches and a few dinners, so we didn’t have to eat every meal at a restaurant. She never complained and when I pitched in to help, she would apologize for not being able to do it all herself. 

I could talk to my Mom about anything, she had advice for everything, she could talk about nothing or anything forever, she always “got the joke” and had plenty to share, she could keep the conversation interesting and fun, and she loved us all unconditionally. 

She loved Johnny Mathis, watching a good western, ice cream and gelato, Lady Gaga, and especially a great deal. She taught us to “always look for a sale and don’t forget to ask for an additional discount”. 

You could never say goodbye to Mom with just one hug, kiss and an “I love you”. It was a perpetual stream of hugs, kisses and “I love you’s”. 

It always ended with “when are you coming back?” or “when will I see you again?” and we would always reply “we will see you again real soon, Mom”. 

Today, my broken hearted reply is “It’s going to be a while, Mom, before I see you again.” 

I miss my best friend, and I love her forever.