In Memory Of
Shirley Renner
1949
2013
Shirley Renner
June 22, 1949 — January 17, 2013
On January 17, 2013, Shirley Renner, 63, of Topeka passed away after a long, hard-fought battle with cancer. Shirley was born in Hanford, California, the 3rd child of and Charles and Sophia Lorene Gregory. She spent her childhood years in Hanford until she met and married William (Bill) Renner of Osage City. When Bill was discharged from the Navy, they moved to Topeka where they raised their two children Penny Renner Claybaugh and Marty Renner.
Shirley was a local beautician owning and operating Shirley Ann's hairstyling salon in Holiday Square. She also was a hairdresser at McCrite Plaza and Manor Care in Topeka. Shirley loved camping, music and bingo and going to garage sales and auctions to find special treasures.
Shirley and Bill attended the Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival in Winfield, KS for the first time in 2005. That was all it took; she was hooked! They were members of the Fugarwee Tribe, camping in the Pecan Grove and quickly endeared themselves to everyone. She loved the chaotic rush of "Line Rush" and "Land Rush" and couldn't wait to go back each year. She could be seen every night in the picking parlor surrounded by friends and family singing and playing her autoharp or her banjo. Shirley was also a member of the Kansas Prairie Pickers Association and was in regular attendance at their monthly jam sessions in Auburn.
Shirley was not only known as Aunt Shirley to dozens of "real nieces and nephews", but also to several extended family and friends. She was the most helpful, selfless lady known and never complained about anything. Even as the cancer began ravishing her entire body, when asked how she was doing, her response was always, "So far so good!" And then you could count on her asking about you or your family. Up and until her last breath, Shirley's thoughts were only for those around her, making sure we were comfortable and never thinking about her own pain. This was "Shirley's" way.
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, her two sisters Lora and Louise, and one brother, Sonny. Survivors include her husband Bill, her daughter Penny, and her son Marty all of Topeka. She is also survived by three sisters all from Oregon, Charlene, Carlene, and Connie, and one brother Eddie from California. She has six grandchildren, Brandon, Brianna, Tanner, Trey, Cameron and Ashtyn all from the Topeka area.
Please come to our "Day for Shirley" gathering and share your favorite moments, memories and music with us to help us remember this remarkable lady. We are going to have some of her favorite foods, music, family and friends there to help remind us of Shirley and to keep the warm memories of her alive. The gathering will be on Saturday, February 2nd, at 3:00 PM. It will be in the upstairs location of Gary Hinck's Law Office building at 512 SW 6th St. in Topeka. This building is two doors east of Terry's Bar and Grill and two doors west of 6th and Topeka Blvd. If you're a musician, please bring your instrument and play as long as you like. If you're not musically inclined, please come and have a bite to eat, share your memories of Shirley and listen to the music.
The family suggests memorial contributions be made in Shirley's honor to the Dan Falley Memorial Foundation or the Kansas Prairie Pickers Association, Dave Hackett Memorial Scholarship Fund. The Dan Falley Memorial fund has been established in memory of Dan Falley to raise scholarship funds to provide Shawnee County youth an opportunity to further their musical studies. For more information, go to http://www.jam4dan.com/scholarship.html. Contributions may be sent: In Honor of Shirley Renner
Dan Falley Memorial Foundation
C/O Capital City Bank
3710 SW Topeka Blvd
Topeka, KS 66609.
Or you may make donations to the Dave Hackett Memorial Scholarship fund which has been established in memory of Dave Hackett to promote and support the continued learning of traditional, acoustic music. For more information, please go to http://www.accesskansas.org/kppa/page8_scholarship.htm.
Contributions may be sent to:
In Honor of Shirley Renner
Dave Hackett Memorial Scholarship Fund
C/O KPPA Treasurer
5831 SE 53rd St.
Berryton, KS 66409.
"It's been said, 'time heals all wounds.' I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone."
Rose Kennedy
Shirley was a local beautician owning and operating Shirley Ann's hairstyling salon in Holiday Square. She also was a hairdresser at McCrite Plaza and Manor Care in Topeka. Shirley loved camping, music and bingo and going to garage sales and auctions to find special treasures.
Shirley and Bill attended the Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival in Winfield, KS for the first time in 2005. That was all it took; she was hooked! They were members of the Fugarwee Tribe, camping in the Pecan Grove and quickly endeared themselves to everyone. She loved the chaotic rush of "Line Rush" and "Land Rush" and couldn't wait to go back each year. She could be seen every night in the picking parlor surrounded by friends and family singing and playing her autoharp or her banjo. Shirley was also a member of the Kansas Prairie Pickers Association and was in regular attendance at their monthly jam sessions in Auburn.
Shirley was not only known as Aunt Shirley to dozens of "real nieces and nephews", but also to several extended family and friends. She was the most helpful, selfless lady known and never complained about anything. Even as the cancer began ravishing her entire body, when asked how she was doing, her response was always, "So far so good!" And then you could count on her asking about you or your family. Up and until her last breath, Shirley's thoughts were only for those around her, making sure we were comfortable and never thinking about her own pain. This was "Shirley's" way.
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, her two sisters Lora and Louise, and one brother, Sonny. Survivors include her husband Bill, her daughter Penny, and her son Marty all of Topeka. She is also survived by three sisters all from Oregon, Charlene, Carlene, and Connie, and one brother Eddie from California. She has six grandchildren, Brandon, Brianna, Tanner, Trey, Cameron and Ashtyn all from the Topeka area.
Please come to our "Day for Shirley" gathering and share your favorite moments, memories and music with us to help us remember this remarkable lady. We are going to have some of her favorite foods, music, family and friends there to help remind us of Shirley and to keep the warm memories of her alive. The gathering will be on Saturday, February 2nd, at 3:00 PM. It will be in the upstairs location of Gary Hinck's Law Office building at 512 SW 6th St. in Topeka. This building is two doors east of Terry's Bar and Grill and two doors west of 6th and Topeka Blvd. If you're a musician, please bring your instrument and play as long as you like. If you're not musically inclined, please come and have a bite to eat, share your memories of Shirley and listen to the music.
The family suggests memorial contributions be made in Shirley's honor to the Dan Falley Memorial Foundation or the Kansas Prairie Pickers Association, Dave Hackett Memorial Scholarship Fund. The Dan Falley Memorial fund has been established in memory of Dan Falley to raise scholarship funds to provide Shawnee County youth an opportunity to further their musical studies. For more information, go to http://www.jam4dan.com/scholarship.html. Contributions may be sent: In Honor of Shirley Renner
Dan Falley Memorial Foundation
C/O Capital City Bank
3710 SW Topeka Blvd
Topeka, KS 66609.
Or you may make donations to the Dave Hackett Memorial Scholarship fund which has been established in memory of Dave Hackett to promote and support the continued learning of traditional, acoustic music. For more information, please go to http://www.accesskansas.org/kppa/page8_scholarship.htm.
Contributions may be sent to:
In Honor of Shirley Renner
Dave Hackett Memorial Scholarship Fund
C/O KPPA Treasurer
5831 SE 53rd St.
Berryton, KS 66409.
"It's been said, 'time heals all wounds.' I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone."
Rose Kennedy
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Shirley Renner, please visit our flower store.
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