Shirley L. Ege

Shirley L. Ege, long time resident of Elizabeth, Illinois, passed away on December 23, 2024. Born on June 21, 1938, to Henry and Dorothy (Bonjour) Albrecht, Shirley grew up on the family farm outside of Woodbine with her seven siblings.

Shirley's life was a beautiful tapestry of faith, family, and color. A devoted member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, she found solace and community in her faith, attending services every Sunday and actively participating in the church's Ladies Guild and Quilters Group, and Sunday School. In her later years, Shirley discovered a passion for coloring, creating hundreds of beautiful pictures that brought joy to her and to those around her. She truly added color to life in every sense.

Shirley married the love of her life, Walter Ege, in 1958. Walter and Shirley raised four children, and celebrated 57 years of marriage. Together, they built a life filled with love and hard work on their farm north of town. Known as a great cook, Shirley's kitchen was a haven of warmth and delicious aromas, with her pies, cinnamon rolls, and her cherished specialty, filled noodle soup, being family favorites.

A gardener at heart, Shirley cultivated both vegetables and flowers throughout her life, filling her home with the fruits of her labor and the beauty of nature. Her home was always open to family, where she instilled strong values and a love for life in her children.

When her kids were younger, she cherished Sunday afternoons spent mushroom hunting and playing the organ by ear at home. Shirley will be remembered for her unwavering faith, her love for her family, and the colorful legacy she leaves behind.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, December 30th, at 11 a.m. at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Elizabeth. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. prior to the service at the church. Burial will follow in Elizabeth Cemetery. Memorials may be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

Shirley will be dearly missed by her four children, Jeff (Diane) Ege of Warren, IL, Jennifer (Ronald) Zimmerman of Harker Heights, TX, Rhonda (Leslie) Bonvillain of Elizabeth, and Ronald Ege of Elizabeth; eight grandchildren, Justin (Sheila) Zimmerman, Adam (Andrea) Ege, Ashley (Ryan) Wills, Nicole (Jorge) Zimmerman, Leigh Ann (Billy) Edwards, Kyle Ege, Nick (Jamie) Ege, and Amy Bonvillain; two step-grandchildren, Wendy Bahr and Bobbi Bahr; 12 great-grandchildren, Hayden, Drew, Peyton, Jackson, Addey, Ayla, Cody, Blake, Mason, Chase, Alannah, and Clay; one step great-grandchild, Amarhea; and six siblings, Jean (William) Kammer of Round Rock, TX, Nelda (Roger) Beyer of Billings, MT, Don (Shelby) Albrecht of Schofield, WI, Rose Albrecht of Freeport, Sally Powell of Freeport, and Larry (Kristi) Albrecht of Huntly, MT.

Shirley is preceded in death by her husband, Walter, her parents, Dorothy and Henry, her daughter-in-law, Sherry Ege, her sister, Ruth Richtemeyer, and her husband Dean, brother-in-law Randy Powell, sister in-law Lucy Ege and Herman and Lenore Ege.

The family would like to thank Hospice of Dubuque and the staff at the Midwest Senior Care facilities for their care of Shirley over the past 17 months.