Shirley Fay Gowery

 Shirley F. Gowery of Wynot, Nebraska, our beloved mother, grandmother, and great grandmother died peacefully on Sunday, December 8, 2024 at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton, SD surrounded by her family at the age of 92 years.

 Funeral Services will be on Thursday, December 12, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Hartington, Nebraska with Rev. David Halaas officiating. Burial will be at the Wynot Cemetery. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 5-7:30 p.m. at the Wintz Funeral Home in Hartington. Visitation will continue on Thursday, at church, one hour prior to services. Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home in Hartington.  

You may watch a live stream of the funeral at www.facebook.com/WintzRay. 

Pallbearers will be Shirley’s grandsons; Craig Gowery, Tyler Gowery, Nathan McLaughlin, Tanner Maxon, Matthew Maxon, and Connor McLaughlin.

Honorary Pallbearers will be granddaughters Shannon Heimes, Jenna Hans, Heather Hansen, Heidi Magorian, Ashley Tiahrt, Kylee Lohmeier, and Haley Heine.

 Shirley was born near Lindy, Nebraska to Arthur and Ellen (McFarland) Driver on August 23, 1932, the oldest of six children. Her childhood was spent on a farm east of St. James. She graduated in 1950 from Wynot High School. She received a teachers certificate from Wayne State Teachers College and then taught at a country school near Coleridge.

  She married the love of her life, Harley Gowery on June 10, 1954. She loved living on Brooky Bottom her entire married life of 61 1/2 years, referring to it as God’s country. She loved listening to the whippoorwills and watching the varied wildlife. This marriage was blessed with five children. She was proud to graduate from Yankton College in 1975 as a nontraditional student, no small feat with five children at home. She resumed her teaching career spanning 30 years at Brooky Bottom District #7, St. Helena, and Wynot Public School. She enjoyed the 2nd grade level most. She retired from teaching in 1998.

 Upon retirement, she took her first quilting class and became hooked. It quickly became one of her passions and great therapy after Harley’s death on January 5, 2016 at the age of 86 years. She completed many quilts making sure each child and grandchild received a labor of love. She was passionate about her children, grandchildren, and GREAT grandchildren, praying faithfully for them. Other passions were church, teaching, babysitting, reading, cooking and baking, and serving others. She was very proud of being in two five-generation pictures, one as the baby, the other as a great grandma.

 In 2020, she had a life-changing stroke and was no longer able to live at her beloved home.

 Shirley is survived by her five children; Terry (Donna) Gowery, Wynot; Becky (Gary) Huser, Sioux City, IA; Lonny Gowery, Minden; Nancy (Glen) Maxon, Laurel; Sherry (Tom) McLaughlin, Papillion; 13 grandchildren; Shannon (Tyler) Heimes, Jenna (Justin) Hans, Tyler Gowery; Craig (Ashley) Gowery, Heather (Brad) Hansen, Heidi (Pat) Magorian, Haley (Lance) Heine; Ashley (John) Tiahrt, Tanner Maxon, Matthew (Kiley) Maxon; Nathan (Ashley) McLaughlin, Kylee (Shane) Lohmeier, Connor (Jayden) McLaughlin; 35 great-grandchildren; three siblings; Larry (JoAnn) Driver, Wynot; Wanda Branson, Scottsdale, AZ; Dennis (Jan) Driver, Altoona, IA; sister-in-law, Anne Driver; brother-in-law, Roger Schwartz; many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

 She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Harley; brother Darrel Driver, sister Phyllis Schwartz, brother-in-law Bill Branson, sister-in-law Carolyn Driver, parents-in-law George and Leota Gowery.

 In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Wynot Cemetery Association.