Shirley Mae (McGriff) Uhlenhopp

Shirley Mae Uhlenhopp, 89, of Newton died on Thursday, May 26, 2022, at MercyOne Newton Medical Center. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, June 1, 2022, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. The family will greet friends from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service at the funeral home.  Memorials to the American Diabetes Association may be left at the funeral home.

Shirley, the daughter of Ralph and Bessie (Van Cleave) McGriff, was born on July 25, 1932 in Newton.  She grew up in Newton and graduated from Newton High School. Shirley loved music and her sister, Yvonne and she proudly sang live on the Marshalltown radio station. Shirley was united in marriage with Don Crozier and they lived in Texas, Des Moines, and then in Mingo; where they would raise their two sons, Rick and Kurt.  When the boys were little Shirley worked as a bookkeeper at Woolworths.  She later worked at Herteens Jewelry Store and then part-time at Catos.  Shirley was active as a leader in the MYE – Methodist Youth Fellowship in Mingo and on the Mingo Band Booster Club.  Although she disliked water, she loved driving the boat while her boys would ski. On March 4, 1994, Shirley was married to Chris Uhlenhopp in Las Vegas, Nevada. They made their home in Newton.  They enjoyed singing and performing at area nursing homes and churches. They also liked to go camping and spend time at their second home in Jamesport, Missouri.  Throughout the years, Shirley had enjoyed spending a portion of the winter in Arizona or California. She also loved to go shopping and ride motorcycles. 

Shirley is survived by her husband, Chris Uhlenhopp; sons, Rick (Valerie) Crozier of Mingo and Kurt (Shari) Crozier of Mingo; step-son Chad (Tara) Uhlenhopp of Algona; grandchildren, Jennifer (Troy) Koehler, Janelle Crozier (Erik Illingworth), Jennifer (Aaron) Wagner; Kristen Crozier, and Emma Crozier; her great-grandchildren, Karlee Koehler; Eric Wagner, and Jordan Wagner; and many nieces and nephews including niece, Lynn Richardson of California. She was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Kenneth Inglis in infancy; granddaughter, Julie Crozier; grandson, Kyle Crozier; her brother, Waldo McGriff; and two sisters, Virginia Roush and Yvonne Richardson. 

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