Obituary

Shirley Steffen

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Shirley A. Steffen, age 88, of Wilton, passed away on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, at Banner Health Heart Hospital in Mesa, Ariz.  A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, at St. Mary Catholic Church, Wilton.  A visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 29, at the church.  Private family burial will take place in Oakdale Cemetery, Wilton.  Memorials may be made to the Wilton High School Alumni Association Scholarship Fund.  Online condolences may be left at www.bentleyfuneralhome.com.

Shirley was born on March 2, 1936, the daughter of Edward and Irene (Grimes) Smith in Harper. She graduated from Riceville High School with the Class of 1954.  Shirley married the love of her life, Donald Steffen on Oct. 27, 1956, in Wilton. Don passed away on Feb. 4, 2023.

Shirley worked as a secretary for Eastern Iowa Light & Power and later at Thatcher Plastic in Muscatine.  She was a devoted member of St. Mary Catholic Church and was also active in the Wilton Chamber of Commerce.  For 28 years, Shirley drove school bus for the Wilton Community School District, where she was a familiar and friendly face for generations of students.

Shirley’s creativity was evident in the stunning wedding cakes she decorated. In the 1990s, she expanded her talents by opening Shirl’s Special T’s, where she designed custom screen printed apparel.  She and Don cherished their winters in Arizona, where they enjoyed the warmth and relaxation, and she took great pride tending to her yard during the warmer months back in Iowa.  Above all, Shirley was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her family was her greatest love, and she treasured every moment spent with them.

Shirley will be lovingly remembered by three daughters, Tami (Stan) Sawvell of Wilton, Terri (Keith) Stanley of Wilton, and Tracy (Brian) Krebs of Durant; six grandchildren, Regan (Brad) Porter, Ross (Jamie) Wagaman, Riley Wagaman, Derek Sawvell, Hayley (Jordan) Brauns, and Rachel Krebs; seven great-grandchildren, Griffin, Leona, Nora, Gus, Max, Abbott, and Ava Lynne; a brother, James (Sheryl) Smith of Lime Springs; and two sisters, Ellen (Frank) Hicks of Cedar Rapids, and Sheryl Mather of Palo.

Shirley was preceded in death by her husband, Donald; 10 brothers and sisters, Howard, Glen, Naomi, Ruth, Charles, Wayne, Mary, John, Hubert, and Dennis.

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