Shirley Doreen Sterner, 93, of West Liberty, died Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024.
The family will greet friends from 4-7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024, at Henderson – Barker Funeral Home in West Liberty. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, at First Church United, in West Liberty. A burial will follow at Oakdale Cemetery in Wilton.
Shirley was born Oct. 24, 1930, in Sunbury, Iowa, the daughter of Adolph and Dorothy (Asmus) Hansen. She was a graduate of Wilton High School and attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls. She then went on to teach grades 1-6 in a one room schoolhouse. On June 23, 1951, she was united in marriage to Harlan “Joe” Sterner. After marriage, Shirley did secretarial work for the University of Iowa College of Education. Upon retirement, she did volunteer work and was a 10,000-hour volunteer at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, receiving the Iowa Governor’s Volunteer Award from Governor Terry Branstad. She was a member of First Church United, a 50-year member of the Order of Eastern Star and a member of the T. T. T. Shirley will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.
She is survived and lovingly remembered by her sons Randy (Kris) of Marion, Iowa and Brad (Patty) of Iowa City, Iowa. She is also survived by three grandchildren, Jenny of Burbank, California, Joey of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Nick of St. Louis Missouri, and several cousins, nieces, nephews and longtime friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents Adolph and Dorothy Hansen, husband Joe Sterner, brothers Don and Melvin Hansen and special friend Ed Kline.
The family would like to express their most sincere appreciation to the staff of the Simpson Home Assisted Living and to St. Croix Hospice for the loving care they provided Mom.
Memorials in Shirley’s memory may be directed to: First Church United, Simpson Memorial Home, West Liberty Fire & Ambulance or Muscatine County Fair.