Shirley E. Weidner

Shirley E. Weidner

Shirley E. Weidner, 95, of Toledo passed away, Wednesday, October 23, 2019 at Premier Estates of Toledo. A celebration gathering will be held at Christ United Methodist Church in Toledo, Sunday, December 15, 2019 from 1:00 – 3:00pm. Family and friends will informally gather to share memories and stories of Shirley. A lunch will be served. Community members are welcome. The family will adjourn to Woodlawn Cemetery in Toledo at 3:00 for a short interment ceremony.

Shirley was born on April 26, 1924 in Illinois. She was the adopted daughter of Clifford and Grace (Stewart) Orcutt. She continued her education after high school and graduated from Northern Iowa University with a two-year degree in education. In 1964 she returned to UNI to complete her bachelor’s degree. On May 20, 1944, during WWWII she was united in marriage to Hershal Weidner at Key West, Florida. She taught elementary students, grades K-3, in the local school system for 20 years.

As an adult she loved spending time with family and going to Clear Lake on weekends in the summer with Hershal. Her principal hobbies were reading biographies of people she admired, keeping up on Iowa current events, pouring through financial magazines, and telling all the kids what the day’s weather looked like. As a girl growing up on the family farm outside Montour, she loved playing with her pony and keeping her good grades up in school.

Preceding her in death were her husband, Hershal W. Weidner, October 9, 2011, her father, Clifford Orcutt and her mother, Grace Stewart Orcutt.

Survivors include two sons, Marv Weidner of Colorado, Craig Weidner of Alaska; six grandchildren, Dru Weidner, Shelly Spurlin, Seth Weidner, Libby Tate, Emily Foster and Chris Foster; fifteen great and great, great grandchildren, Ellie, Katy, Annie, Gabe, Michael, Xander, Briana, Caitlin, Ryan, Cameron, Sophia, Ava Grace, Annabelle, Laylah and Charlie – and a whole host of former students.

Memorials may be directed to the South Tama County Scholarship Foundation.

Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home, Tama-Toledo is assisting the family with the arrangements.