She attended school in a 1-room building, grades 1-8 and Edison High School; graduating with the class of 1945.
She worked at the Oxford General Hospital until December 1945, and on the 31st was united in marriage to Ivan Hunt. They lived on a farmstead where they worked and attended to their dairy herd. In 1949, Ivan began his career with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. In 1956 he was transferred to McCook, to begin work on the Hugh Butler Dam and Lake, Retiring in 1979.
Shirley worked at the YMCA, First Christian Church Office and then 18 years as secretary at the McCook Junior High School Principal’s office, retiring in 1985.
Family includes daughter Jo Schmidt; grandsons Chris (Erin) and son Carson; Marcus (Melanie) and their sons Davis, Dixon, and daughter Josey. Preceded in death by her husband Ivan (2019), 3 infant children, parents, brother Thadeus Watts, sister-in-law Alice (Hays) Watts, sister Charleen Bennett and brother-in-law William Bennett and son-in-law Steven Schmidt.
Celebration of Life Service will be held 10:30 a.m., Monday June 26, 2023, at the Roper and Sons South Lincoln Chapel, 3950 Hohensee Dr., Lincoln, NE 68516. Pastor Jeff Scheich officiating. Burial will be held in early August in Edison, NE.
No visitation/Cremation
Memorials may be sent to to the Monarch in Lincoln, McCook Food Pantry, McCook YMCA or to the family for a future designation.