Shirley Marie Harlan

Shirley Marie Harlan, 91, passed away May 18, 2021 at Fairwinds-Sandcreek. She was under the care of Hospice of Eastern Idaho.

Shirley was born March 10,1930 in Wenatchee, Washington, to Daniel Rudolph Harlan and Velvia Mabel Williams Harlan. She grew up in eastern Washington and graduated from North Central High School in Spokane.

Shirley was honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps Reserves on July 29,1954. Through the years she furthered her education at colleges and universities in South Carolina, Washington, and Idaho, earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1953 from Whitworth College in Spokane.

Her passion and joy was education of the young and toward that end, she earned elementary teaching certificates from the states of Washington and Idaho. She was employed as an elementary school teacher in Truchas, New Mexico, Spokane and Reardan, Washington, and finally at Hamer, Idaho, after which she retired.

In her retirement, Shirley enjoyed collecting cookbooks and watching cooking shows on television, then replicating new and interesting recipes. She also enjoyed membership in the Order of Rebekahs.

Shirley spent many years attending Bible study and was still attending and learning more about the Word of God when she was 91. As an adult, she was a life-long member of the Presbyterian Church and while residing in Idaho Falls, she was an active member of First Presbyterian Church-Idaho Falls.

Though Shirley never married and is not survived by immediate family, she is survived by distant cousins, countless friends, and all the children she helped give an educational start in life for well over 25 faithful years of teaching.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, Dan and Velvia Harlan, and sister, Betty Beryl Gibson Akers.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 26, 2021, at First Presbyterian Church, 325 Elm Street, Idaho Falls, with Rev. Dr. Phillip A. Hagen officiating. A time of fellowship will immediately follow the service. The church requires masks be worn. Inurnment will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace in Spokane, Washington.