SHIRLEY JANE CROM was born October 10, 1926, at Hooper, Nebraska, to Leslie and Ella (Christiansen) Lauersen. She passed away Tuesday, July 22, 2008, at the Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska, at the age of 81 years.

Shirley grew up in Burt County. In 1944, she began her teaching career in Washington and Burt County at West Webster School, continued teaching at Blackstone, Dahlgren, Valcoma, Thone, Bisbee, ending her career in 1973 at the Swaburg School District, the same school she attended as a child. Following her retirement from teaching, Shirley spent several years working nights as a nurse aide and care staff member at the Tekamah Nursing Center. She also wrote news articles on the Herman area and Crowell Memorial Home for the Burt County Plaindealer in Tekamah.

Shirley and Derald M. Crom were united in marriage on March 21, 1947, at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oakland, Nebraska.  In 1983, a fire destroyed their farm home.  They stayed with friends until they could move into the home they purchased in Herman. Derald retired from farming in 1985. He preceded her in death in March 2003.

Shirley was an active member of the Herman Community Church and enjoyed the daily activities of the Crowell Memorial Assisted Living, where she resided. She enjoyed crocheting and staying in contact with friends and family by e-mail.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband: Derald; three daughters: Geraldine, Sandra and Carol.

Survivors include her daughter: Susan Allen and her husband, Jack Burbridge, of Missouri Valley, Iowa; two grandchildren: Frank Allen and his wife, Jennifer, of La Vista, Nebraska, Shelley Stoddard and her husband, Charles, of Yankton, South Dakota; four great grandchildren: Ben and Sarah Stoddard, Lauren and Lucas Allen;  three sisters and brothers-in-law: Marilyn Stonum of Newport Kentucky, Elizabeth and Robert Yost of Coleridge, Nebraska, Ruth and Don Tucker of Omaha, Nebraska; sister-in-law: Pat Grieves of Omaha.

FUNERAL SERVICE: Saturday, July 26, 2008, 10:00 a.m. at the Herman Community Church in Herman, Nebraska.

VISITATION: Friday, July 25, 2008, 6 - 8 p.m. with a 7:00 p.m. Prayer Service at Pelan Funeral Home in Tekamah. Visitation will also be held Saturday at the church one hour prior to the service.

BURIAL: Tekamah Cemetery, Tekamah, Nebraska

MEMORIALS: The Herman Community Church.

Please feel free to send your condolences to the family.
Each condolence will be printed and given to the family after the service.

pelan@pelanfuneralservices.com