Shirley Arlene Edwards (Estes) passed away after a long struggle with illness. Though her courage and effort were remarkable, she succumbed to sickness to enter Heaven on Friday, Oct. 7, 2016.
She was born on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 1934, in Halstead, Kansas, to Coleman and Hazel Estes. Her childhood was complicated and at times difficult, but she found joy in her mother, siblings and friends growing up in Blackwell, Oklahoma.
She graduated from Blackwell High School in the spring of 1953. This was a major success because the previous summer, (before her senior year) she married the only man she truly loved, Dean Edwards, on July 28, 1952.
That wonderful marriage was shared for 62 years. It created and nurtured four children who grew up loving, honoring and respecting their parents. Shirley was proud of the fact that (in her words) “The kids never gave us any trouble.”
The family lived happily in Oklahoma for 13 years until California called and the move was made to the Santa Maria Valley in August 1965.
Her 51 years in Santa Maria were filled with friends from work places like J.C. Penney’s and Columbia Records, with friends from Grace Baptist Church and Pine Grove Baptist Church, and with friends from the hospital volunteer group at Marian Regional. She loved her many neighbors and the people of Santa Maria.
Throughout the years, Shirley always poured her heart into everything she did. She was passionate about reading until her vision failed to permit it.
She was fanatical about photos to be framed and shared with friends and loved ones. She loved church and when younger she always sang in the adult choir with special effort and focus on the Living Christmas Tree. She was a lifetime learner, and enjoying a new experience was wanted and cherished.
Shirley was one of the rare people on the planet who loved everyone. She obviously and demonstratively loved her husband the most.
She had a valued-added approach with her relationships with her children, in-laws and grandchildren. She was so good at it that everyone believed they were her favorite. She treasured her three “best” friendships.
Her major individual accomplishments were drum major for her high school band, member of a Oklahoma Championship Bowling team, finding our initial home in Santa Maria, running a sub-7 minute mile at age of 40, finishing the Santa Barbara County Fair 10-Mile Run, successfully raising four kids, meeting the needs of her faithful husband for 62 years, sharing the gift of loving and caring for animals as they should be, loyally caring for her mother battling cancer to the end, and being the primary care-giver fighting her husband’s Parkinson’s disease with him for over 12 years.
She is survived by her son, Michael and wife, Sigrun; her son, Jeff and wife, Susan; her daughter, Paula Neidengard and husband, Lee; her son, Doug and wife, Barbara. She has eight wonderful grandchildren: Joshua, Jennifer, Christine, Diana, Zak, Katelin, Ashley and Tyler.
She was a beautiful GeegeeMa to two precious great-granddaughters, Matilda Grace and Mason Hadley. She is also survived by her loving younger brother, Gary Monroe Estes of Bakersfield, her brothers-in-law Bob and Dwayne Edwards, and her sister-in-law Nila Anderson. She very much loved the many nieces and nephews in her family.
One of her richest blessings was having her three “best” friends: Jan Campbell, Margaret Myers and Sue Terry. She was preceded in death by her truehearted husband, Dean; and her older brothers, Bob and Don.
Finally, and most importantly, she loved her Heavenly Father. She cried out more than once for Jesus to take her into His loving arms and bring her the Holy Peace and Comfort only God may provide.
Shirley will be missed greatly, and yet her lessons in a good life will be carried in the heart and minds of her family and friends. The one significant lesson she taught most often was to be kind and love one another.
A memorial service will be held at 9 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 13 at the Chapel of Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary.
To leave a condolence for the family visit www.dudleyhoffmanmortuary.com.
Arrangements are by Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary.