Shirley Mae Fender Lohse

Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life an immortality to light through the Gospel. Let us remember with thanksgiving what God has done through His servant, Shirley.  Shirley Mae Fender Lohse was given life by her creator and was born on March 15, 1941, in Niles, Michigan, a daughter of Earle Duane and Margaret Lucille Sutter Smith.  She received the gift of Holy Baptism on November 29, 1942, at Wesley United Methodist Church in Niles, MI and became a child of God.  On April 7, 1968, she was confirmed at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Niles, MI by Rev. Theodore Laesch and publicly confessed her faith and became a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Niles, MI.  She received the precious gift of the Lord’s life-giving body and blood in Holy Communion. She married Dale Francis Jones on May 21, 1960.  He died December 11, 1980.  She married Eugene Russel Fender on June 1, 1968, in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Niles MI who died on October 21, 1994.  She then married Orville Paul Lohse on September 6, 1997, in St. Pauls’ Lutheran Church, Niles MI.  God blessed Shirley’s life with many special people as she served God in her vocations at home, church, work, and in the community. She was an active member of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League/Ladies Aid and had been a Sunday School teacher, served on the Alter Guild, and was in choir at St. Paul’s Lutheran church Niles, MI.  After moving to Missouri, she was a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in La Grange, MO, she was an active member of the LWML/Ladies Aid, Alter Guild. And did many things with Vacation Bible School, Fellowship Group, and was in the choir.  Paul retired from ministry in September 2011, and they moved to Goodyear, Arizona and joined Trinity Lutheran Church in Litchfield Park, AZ.  There she was active in LWML, A.M.O.S. and the choir.  Finally on August 8, 2023, God blessed Shirley with a holy death and took her Home to rest in the arms of Jesus to await the resurrection of the dead.  Survivors include her husband Paul, daughter Karena Michelle Nygaard and son-in-law Leif B. Nygaard of Wittmann, AZ grandchildren Trey Samuel Terry and wife Elise A. Terry of Goodyear, AZ and Kelsi Elizabeth Nowak and her husband Ryan T. Nowak; stepson David Lohse and wife Tomoko and step grandchild Selina Lohse of Alexandria, VA; stepdaughter Karen Papora and her husband Tom and step grandchildren Hunter, Jordan, and Declan Callan of White Lake, MI. Her brightest treasures were her great grandchildren George, William, and James Terry and Sage Nowak. She was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles and husbands: Dale Jones and Eugene Fender and her son Kevin Michael Jones.  The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blesses be in the name of the Lord. We give thanks to God our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord for our sister Shirley.

A Memorial Service will be held September 9, 2023 at 11:00 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church located at 830 E Plaza Circle, Litchfield Park, Arizona with a luncheon to follow.