Shirley Ann Krouse

On Sunday, November 28th, after a short battle with metastatic breast cancer, the earth opened its loving arms and gracefully accepted Shirley Krouse’s spirit.

See 2 Photos

Shirley was born October 13, 1934 in Pittsfield, MA to Fred and Elaine Krouse, growing up near the western border of Massachusetts in Richmond with her three younger sisters, Joan, Bernadette, and Freda. As a young adult and mother, she and her children moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, which became her home for the remainder of her long and well lived life.

Shirley was a beautiful, strong and independent woman who carried herself with a uniquely warm and elegant grace, traits that were reflected in her gorgeous handwriting and calligraphy. She showed a selfless kindness to everyone she touched, nurturing both family and community at every opportunity. While accounting was her career, her decades as an Avon representative were her calling, her doorway for creating numerous life long friendships. She was a selfless volunteer with many years of service at the Junior League thrift store, an elementary school reading tutor and an election poll worker.

Drawing on her deep well of humanist compassion, Shirley endured more than her share of life’s injustices with stoic acceptance, and helped many others weather their challenges as a friend, mother and matriarch. When her youngest daughter took up residence near her home, Shirley became an integral member of her family as a devoted nana, nurturer, and mentor to her grandsons. She made a point of being assertively welcoming to everyone, especially the extended families of her offspring.

Her family will be forever grateful that all her children, grand children and 3 year old great granddaughter, were able to gather around her in October to celebrate her 87th birthday. It was a gift to see Shirley while she was still her familiar quiet, bright and loving self, and express our deep appreciation for all the lessons she taught us, for the hours we got to spend together cooking meals, playing Carrom and word games, or sharing in her biggest love, gardening. Shirley could even make a dead stick turn green and bloom, and she always kept her yards looking like gardens of Eden. She was an equally “Life is bittersweet – The joy only intensifies the pain and visa/versa.” – John Prine gifted seamstress as well, which she proved in many creative Halloween and stage costumes that she would help design and make for her children and grandsons as they were growing up.

Shirley passed peacefully with her daughters by her side, holding her hands. She will forever be in our hearts. We were so fortunate to have had these many years with her, and we can't help but long for more. None of us are ever ready to say goodbye to our loved ones...

She is survived by her sisters, Bernadette and Freda; her children Aaron, Michelle, and Rachel; her grandchildren Adrianne, Elaine, Joshua, and Onyx (aka Dylan); and her great grand-daughter Aria. She was preceded in death by her parents, her love Sterling Vernon, her second husband Gene Walthall, sister Joan, and her daughter Roxanne.

If you would like to help us honor Shirley's life, donations of condolence and memorial can be made to the Huntsman Cancer Institute (https://healthcare.utah.edu/huntsmancancerinstitute/), Partners In Health (PIH.org), NARAL, or to any similar humanitarian secular charity.

A residential open house remembrance will be held at 1908 Bosham Lane, Salt Lake City, 84106,

Sunday, December 12th, 2:00 to 4:00pm