Shirley Ann Ebel, surrounded by family and friends, died on April 11, 2025. She was ninety-six. Shirley was born in McCutchenville, Ohio on October 7, 1928.
Shirley graduated from Bowling Green University. She taught English classes for a few years in Ohio. Wanting to teach Latin as well, she moved to Boulder, Colorado to pursue a Masters degree in Latin and Ancient History.
That summer she met a group of graduate students and every weekend they hiked the 14,000 ft. Colorado peaks and went rock climbing. She was a good student, hard worker, and an adventurer.
While enrolled at CU, she met Dale. They married six months later. They loved camping in the mountains of Colorado both before and after they had children.
Dale and Shirley moved their family to a ranch in the Bitterroot Valley near Victor, Montana in 1973. The family loved their years living on the ranch. From there Shirley and Dale moved to Ellensburg, Washington, Phoenix, Arizona and then, making a full circle, back to Boulder, Colorado. In 2004 they moved to Bozeman, Montana, to be a part of their only grandchild's life.
She learned gardening at an early age from her Father. Every Spring she looked forward to planting her garden and enjoyed the harvest in the Fall along with canning and freezing the produce. Seeing her flowers blooming throughout the summer was a joy to her.
Shirley loved learning, and enrolled in various community and college classes into her late 80's. She led bible study classes around her kitchen table. All her life she was an avid reader. Shirley compiled stories of her life and completed her autobiography, "Seasons of My Life."
After stating, "no more dogs" Kricket came into her life. That dog was the light of her life. Kricket sat on her lap, slept on her bed even until her last breath.
She is survived by her daughter Kristen, son Brad (Cheryl) and granddaughter Sarah. She was preceded in death in 2010 by her husband, Dale, of 54 years.
A celebration of her life will be held May 1, 2025, at 2:00 pm at Grace Bible Church, Fireside Room. A recording of the service will be available on dokkennelson.com. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Tanner and Brooke Ripley Missionary Support at Grace Bible church in her honor.
Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com [dokkennelson.com]
