Shirley M. Wells

Shirley  Mae Wells age 88 of Hartington, Nebraska and formerly of Lynch, Nebraska died on Monday, March 11, 2024 at Arbor Care Center in Hartington.

Funeral services will be on Friday, March 15, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at the Lynch Community Halls in Lynch, Nebraska with Grady Wells as celebrant.  Visitation with family members will be on Friday morning from 10:00 a.m. until service time.  Burial will be at the Scottville cemetery in rural Lynch after the luncheon.   Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home in Hartington.

 Pallbearers will be: Robert Wayne Wells, Bill Wells, Damon Nabity, Alex Seim, Jared Burbach, Jason Nabity.  Honorary pallbearers will be her grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.

 Shirley Mae (Slack) Wells was born in rural Redbird Nebraska, on what was known as the old Hall Place, to Howard and Amy (Maddox) Slack on December 15, 1935. Shirley moved with her folks and siblings, older brother Irvin and younger sister Joy, to the Slack Homestead Place when she was around four years old. She attended country school District #32 through the eighth grade, then went on to Lynch Public School graduating in 1953. Shirley taught school at the Minola School in Holt County from 1953 to 1955. She was a member of the Dorsey Community Church for many years.

 Lyle and Shirley were married at the Methodist Church in Lynch Nebraska, on August 15, 1954. To this reunion three children were born. They made their home on the old Marshall place northwest of Dorsey, Nebraska. From there, they moved just down the road to the Joe Cihlar place and lived there from 1957 to 1960. Lyle and Shirley then moved back to Shirley’s childhood place of the Slack homestead to help her parents, Howard and Amy, on the farm. Lyle and Shirley purchased the place in 1976.   Lyle and Shirley moved off the farm to O’Neill Nebraska in 2017. In February of 2022 they made the move to Hartington Nebraska, to be closer to family.

 Shirley is survived by her husband Lyle of 69 years of Hartington; three children: Susan Nabity/ Johnson of Monroe South Dakota; Donna Derickson/ Burbach (Pat Burbach) of Hartington Nebraska; and David (Michelle) Wells of Grand Island, Nebraska.  Lyle and Shirley have been blessed with the following grandchildren: Josh (Michelle) Derickson of Saint Helena, Nebraska; Jason Nabity of Sioux Falls,   South Dakota; Keri Nabity of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Janelle (Anthony) Seim of Aurora, Nebraska; Tracy (Ron) Jakubowski of Wood River, Nebraska; Jared (Emily) Burbach of Mankato, Minnesota; Samantha Villela of Alaska; Devin Zaugg and Hannah Zaugg both of Grand Island, Nebraska; great-grandchildren: Eric (Samantha) Derickson, Michaela Derickson, Samantha Nabity, Damon Nabity, Alex Seim, Zachary Seim, Julia Jakubowski, Mary Grace Burbach, Kailen Hanson, Kason Hanson and Aven Hanson; great-great grandchildren: Loretta, Marshall, Weston, and Remi Derickson. Shirley is also survived by her sister, Joy Horn of Fremont, Nebraska and numerous nieces and nephews.

 Shirley was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Irvin Slack; brother-in-law Jerry Horn; father and mother-in-law, Clifford and Lala Wells.

 Shirley left behind her legacy of love that will never be forgotten by her family and friends. She will always be remembered by her unique stories, homemade bread, dill and sweet pickles, her canning abilities and homemade noodles.