Shirley Ann Hambley

Shirley Ann Hambley, 91, of Wichita, KS, formerly of Kalamazoo, MI, passed away at Wesley Medical Center on April 20, 2024. She was born at home on January 26, 1933, in Cadillac, MI to Archie E. and Eva D. (Stewart) Garn.

Shirley attended school in Cadillac until the fifth grade when the family moved to Manton, where she graduated high school. She then attended Spring Arbor College, where she met fellow student, Del Hambley, and other students who became life-time friends.

Shirley married Del Hambley on December 20, 1952, in her parents' home. Del’s teaching job took them to Sheridan, where they welcomed their first daughter Colleen and son Michael.  After moving to Plainwell, Michigan, they added new baby Sharon to the family, before settling in the Portage, Kalamazoo area.  

Shirley treasured her many friends from the Portage Free Methodist Church (now the Renovation Community Church) as well as the friendships she developed with co-workers and neighbors. Her friends appreciated her giving heart, loyalty, honesty, and funny sense of humor. An avid reader, Shirley appreciated autobiographies, biographies, books on Christian living and the writings of author C. S. Lewis.  

Shirley worked for 35 years at Sears & Roebuck as an office clerk, her responsibilities included balancing the books, handling store payments and receipts and many accounting duties. She was an exemplary employee and earned trust from her superiors and colleagues. Many of her co-workers became cherished friends. After retiring from Sears, Shirley worked at Steketee's Department Store as a salesperson in the Womens' Department, a position for which she was well-suited and very successful. Again, she developed many close friendships with her colleagues.

 Shirley's love of art was reflected in her own enjoyment of painting, as well as the work of others, especially family. She also loved music, frequently attended musical performances by bands, orchestras, and choirs, and was a member of several church choirs.  She was a talented pianist and continued to play the piano through the last week of her life at Larksfield Place Retirement Community in Wichita, where she once again became a beloved ‘neighbor’ and friend - to staff and residents alike.  Shirley was well-known for her excellent culinary skills, hosting dinner parties and election night events. She was an accomplished seamstress and made many of her children's clothes when they were young. 

Above all, she excelled as a wife to her husband, Del, a wonderful mother to her children, and a loving grandma. Shirley expressed a fervent and irrepressible faith in Jesus Christ, whom she earnestly followed and hoped all she knew and loved would do the same.

Shirley is survived by her children Colleen Glass, Michael (Teresa) Hambley, and Sharon Hambley; grandchildren Tyler (Crystal) Hambley, Brieanna (Andrew) Claassen, Parker Hambley, Sawyer Hambley, Regan (Alex) DeWaal, Jacob Crowell, Jonathan Crowell, Deidre Crowell, and Nina Fairbanks Glass, eight great-grandchildren, and many close relatives and friends.  

She was preceded in death by her parents Archie Edwin and Eva Della (Stewart) Garn, her husband Del Hambley, brothers Gerald (Mary) Garn, Stewart (Helen) Garn, sister Amber (Robert) Cowin, and son-in-law Brian Glass.

Funeral services for Shirley will be held at Renovation Church 1715 W. Centre Ave. Portage, MI 49024 on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Friends are invited to greet the family from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, after which a funeral service will begin, with Pastor Craig Glass officiating. There will be a graveside service at Hope Cemetery at 1:00 pm and a luncheon to follow at the church. Flowers may be delivered directly to the church.

Memorial contributions in memory of Shirley may be directed to Renovation Church or Gideons International PO Box 97251 Washington, DC 20090-7251.
 

Please visit Shirley’s memorial webpage to share memories and condolences with her family at https://www.Langelands.com