Shirley A Dahme

Shirley Ann Dahme, 88, of Bloomington, IL, peaceably passed away on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, at Carle BroMenn Emergency Center, Normal, with family present. Private crypt interment will be in the Building of Peace mausoleum, East Lawn Memorial Gardens, Bloomington. A memorial service at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Bloomington, is planned for a later date.

Shirley was born on a farm near Bowdle SD on September 14, 1932, the daughter of Fred and Dorothy (Merkle) Dollinger, the youngest of three children. She graduated from Plainview Academy, a private religious boarding high school in Redfield SD in 1951, during which time her parents moved to a farm near Aberdeen SD. She married Orval Dahme in Aberdeen on June 4, 1953. He survives. Orval's maternal grandmother knew Shirley's parents from her own days of farming near Bowdle and immediately blessed the marriage. Also surviving are daughters Susan (Dennis) Costello and Patricia Dahme; and grandchildren Michael and Elizabeth Costello, all of Bloomington. Preceding her in death are her parents and older siblings Irene (Fred) Hall and Adrian Dollinger.

Over the years in Bloomington, Shirley clerked part-time for Smith and Biasi's drug stores and was a real estate agent from 1978 to 1989. But it was staying at home and being a wife and mother that she relished and excelled at. Shirley was an excellent cook and mastered many German family recipes. Shirley grew up loving animals and as far back as age three had her own Shetland pony, "Shaddy", on which it was said she learned to ride before she could walk. Pets she raised in Bloomington were doggies Tippy, Tonya, Tuffy, Teenya and kitty

Tiger.

Shirley, besides raising her children, learned to bowl and play bridge, took dancing lessons (leading to meeting many new friends), and enjoyed going to auction sales with friends. She enjoyed gardening in her backyard and held two envious garage sales a year. .

Shirley was a Christian person and became a confirmed member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in 1965 at age 33. In later years she became a prolific quilter after joining a few women who formed a church quilting group called WinGS (Women in God's Service) to make quilts for donation to worthy causes. This led to her making quilts on her own for gift giving to relatives and friends - of which there were many.

Memorials may be made to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church.