Shirley Elaine Boeve Olliff was born January 3, 1934, in rural Prairie View, the daughter of Louis and Edith (Bogart) Boeve. She grew up in Prairie View and Phillipsburg, along with her three brothers, Ron, Larry, and Gary. She graduated from Phillipsburg High School where she was a cheerleader, homecoming queen, and salutatorian of her graduating class. Shirley was an avid reader and loved to do crossword puzzles and word finds.
On February 13, 1955, she married Darel D. Olliff in Phillipsburg. To this union two sons were born, Kenton Lee and Gary Lynn. Shirley and Darel spent their working life in the funeral business and Shirley was a licensed funeral director. They lived in the funeral home in Phillipsburg until 1984 when they bought a home. They enjoyed many summer vacations at their cabin in Colorado and in later years loved having their two grandchildren spend time with them at the cabin. As their grandchildren grew, they spent a lot of time at grandpa and grandmas after school. Shirley loved sports and was often heard in the stands cheering and yelling at the officials at her boys and grandchildren’s games. Shirley and Darel loved attending their grandchildren’s events and spent quite a bit of time driving to see them perform.
Shirley was a member of the First Christian Church in Phillipsburg and served many roles there. She loved God, her family and her church. She was a volunteer at the hospital gift shop. Upon their retirement, Shirley and Darel spent many days eating out, going for coffee, and enjoying their lives. After Darel died in 2017 Shirley and her good friend Ireeta Ubben spent many days eating lunch together at the Bakery Shop. The biggest issue they usually had was coming out after lunch and trying to remember who drove that day! Shirley also spent a great deal of time with her sister-in-law Eunie Boeve and her forever friend Vicki Constable and good friend Ruth Hackerott. Eunie put together a book of pictures of Shirley’s life and Vicki would bring pictures to add. She enjoyed looking at the book to pass time at the Retirement Center. Shirley and Ruth enjoyed going out to eat and drives around Phillipsburg and the area. While she had many dear friends who helped her before and after Darel died, we can’t name them all. However, we do know Shirley was grateful for all of them. The last few years of her life she dealt with dementia. Even though this was difficult her humor and smile remained intact most of the time.
She was preceded in death by her husband Darel, her parents Louis and Edith Boeve, her stepmother Blanche Boeve, and her three brothers Ron, Larry, and Gary Boeve. She is survived by her two sons Kenton (Carol) and Gary Olliff. Her two grandchildren Sydnie (Jesse) Olliff-Brown and Thomas (Cydnee) Olliff. Also, her two greatgrandchildren Juniper and bonus greatgrandchild Paden, and several nieces and nephews and many friends
Funeral services will be held Friday, August 30 at 10:30 a.m. in the First Christian Church with Pastors LeRoy Herder & Joel Hiesterman officiating. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 9:00 to 9:00 Wed. & Thurs at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel with the family receiving friends from 7:00 to 8:30 Thurs. evening.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Phillips Co. Retirement Center Activities Fund, Hospice Services or the First Christian Church for Local Missions.