Georgia Jean (Hayes) Shurtliff

Georgia Jean Hayes Shurtliff, 82, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, passed away March 23, 2025, at Banner Churchill Community Hospital in Fallon, Nevada.

Georgia was born December 31, 1942, in Rigby, Idaho, to George William Hayes and Odessa Sarah Hill Hayes. She was the youngest of three children. Her family moved to Monteview, Idaho when she was about 1-1/2 years old where they owned a farm. Georgia attended elementary school at Terreton Elementary in Terreton, Idaho. After grade school, her family moved to Idaho Falls, Idaho where Georgia attended O.E. Bell Junior High and Idaho Falls High School. She also attended Hollywood College of Cosmetology in Idaho Falls and graduated in 1960.

On July 10, 1959, she married Herbert Rene Shurtliff in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Herb and Georgia made their home in Idaho Falls, Idaho and owned a small acreage near Ucon, where they raised their two children, Jim and Julie. Herb and Georgia kept their family very active either working on their acreage or being involved in lots of extracurricular activities. While Jim and Julie were growing up, Georgia was a stay-at-home mom and she spent lots of hours taking them to 4H, dance and music lessons, junior posse practices, band practices, junior bowling leagues, and much more. She even worked as a junior league bowling coach at Bowl-ero Lanes for fifteen years. One of Georgia's greatest joys was simply spending time with Herb, Jim, and Julie, doing all of the things they loved to do.

Before Jim and Julie were born, Georgia worked at the Rogers Hotel Restaurant. After Jim moved to college and Julie was in high school, she worked in the Bowl-ero Lanes restaurant for a short period of time. After that Georgia worked as a seamstress at D&L Dry Cleaners for a couple of years. She then renewed her cosmetology license, which allowed her to fill a second barber chair with Herb at the Skyline Barber Shop, which they continued to operate together until 2011.

Georgia enjoyed riding horses, sewing, arts and craft projects, gardening, photography, fishing, and hunting. Georgia and Herb also enjoyed watching wildlife, birds, and scenery and they spent lots of time together and put thousands of miles on their car just doing those things, while enjoying each other's companionship. Georgia continued to take routine drives to see wildlife, birds, and scenery, even after Herb passed away. Most of all, Georgia loved her family and friends, and treasured the time she got to spend with each of them. She was a friend to all and was admired by many. She will be greatly missed.

Georgia is survived by her children, Jim (Monica) Shurtliff of Fallon, NV and Julie (Chris) Rhoades of Idaho Falls, ID; grandchildren, Teresa, Nichole, Benjamin (Melinda), Laura (Johnny), Bridget (Finnerty), Alex (Juliana), and Timothy; and great-grandchildren, Katherine, Helen, Elaina, Nathaniel, and Myra. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Herb; her parents, George and Odessa Hayes; her brother, Terry (VeOna) Hayes; her sister, Tyla (Owen) Law; grandparents, William Hayes, Mary Ann Pitman Hayes, Ernest Hill, and Effie Thorngren Hill; and step-grandfather, John Birch.

Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Wood Funeral Home East Side, 963 South Ammon Road, in Ammon, Idaho. The family will visit with friends Friday from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. prior to the services. Both visitations will be at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Annis-Little Butte Cemetery.

Following the graveside service, a reception will be held back at Wood Funeral Home East Side.