Shirley A. Walker

Shirley Ann Walker, 90, passed away on March 28, 2026, at Arlington Place, Grundy Center, Iowa. A Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at Orchard Hill Church, 1800 G Avenue, Grundy Center, Iowa. 

Shirley was born on June 29, 1935, at her home on the family farm near Villisca, Iowa. She graduated from Villisca High School in 1953. After graduation she attended Northwest Missouri State College in Maryville, Missouri for 2 years where she participated on the synchronized swimming team. This is also where she met her future husband Red. She then went to Minneapolis, Minnesota where she took a medical tech course. Shirley worked as a lab tech until she decided to go back to school to get her LPN. In 1975 she graduated with a LPN degree from Western Iowa Tech Cherokee School of Practical Nursing.

Following graduation, Shirley worked in several hospitals throughout Iowa in various departments. She had the pleasure of taking care of two of her grandchildren when they were born as she was working in the nursery.

On July 8, 1956, Shirley was united in marriage to the love of her life, Garold (Red) Walker in Villisca, Iowa. They became the parents of 3 daughters, Deb, Karla and Paula.

Red and Shirley lived in many towns throughout Missouri and Iowa following Red’s education/administrative career. In 1992 they retired and shortly thereafter bought a lake house on Lake Viking in Missouri where they lived for 30+ years.

Shirley loved to cook for her family. Many of her recipes have been passed down and are being made by the next generations. Caramel bars and coffee cake were two of the many recipes she was famous for. She enjoyed waterskiing, playing cards, reading, and taking walks. Shirley was kind, loving and was always there in a time of need. Left to cherish her memories are her daughters Deb Smith, Karla (Tim) Michener and PJ Walker; 9 grandchildren: Danielle (Mitch) Munson, Amanda (Matt) Starr, Paige (Bryan) Mueller, Allie (Derek) Dolan, Emily (Kyle) Strohbehn, Levi (Bre) Michener, Ashley (Nate) Daniel, Kavalyn Wilson and Katia Wilson; 16 great-grandchildren: Drew, Cade, Mace, Ellie, Brayden, Lily, Eiley, Landry, Layton, Luke, Haven, River, Gabriel, Lane, Wyatt and Atlas; sister-in-law Wanda Walker, and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband Red, an infant daughter Ann Marie, parents Glen and Violet Sierp, stepmother Irene Sierp, brother Kenny Sierp and son-in-law RJ Smith.

In lieu of flowers a donation may be made to St. Croix hospice who took loving care of Shirley. St. Croix Hospice, 6112 Chancellor Dr., Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613.