Eleventh Generation

78. Shirley Louise DANA was born on 9 August 1921 in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^33,140 She appeared in the census in 1930 in Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.⁶² She graduated in 1939 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁴¹ from Tomah High School. Shirley died on 27 March 2013 at the age of 91 in Sparta, Sparta Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁴⁰

Obituary Notes: "Shirley L. Whitsett, 91, of Tomah, passed away Wednesday, March 27, 2013, at the Rolling Hills Rehabilitation Center in Sparta. She was born Aug. 9, 1921, to Ralph and Emma Marie (Mielke) Dana on the family farm near Tomah.

Shirley attended the high school in Warrens, for two years until it closed; she then attended and graduated from Tomah High School in 1939. Following high school, she attended beauty school in Milwaukee. Shirley spent 30 years as a beautician at the Cinderella Salon in Tomah. During World War II she worked at Badger Ordinance making rocket fuel.

She also volunteered as a librarian aid at the Warrens’ School Library for a few years. She wrote several children’s books and had the students at the Warrens school illustrate them. Her passion for reading and writing continued throughout her life, she enjoyed being a member of the Tomah Writer’s group. In her spare time she loved cooking, gardening, feeding birds and bird watching.

Shirley was an active member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and in the church quilting group. She was a dedicated volunteer in both the Tomah and Warrens communities. She volunteered at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, Cranfest, and many local area nursing homes just to name a few. Shirley was very reminiscent of the old days and loved sharing stories of the comparisons between her younger years and today.

She is survived by her sons, P. John (Sue) Whitsett of Oshkosh, Wis., and Stephen (Charisse) Whitsett of Tomah; eight grandchildren, Stephen (Dawn Olstad) Whitsett, Kimberley (Brent) Whitsett Johnson, Jaclyn (Bryan) Morris, Scott (Jessica) Whitsett, Amy (Cory) Guenther, Michelle (Rick) Kuehl, Kelly (Chad) Lawler, Gregory (Lyndsey Bannow) Dewing; great-grandchildren, Grant and Jordan Whitsett, Aiden and Lehna Olstad, Jocelyn Williams, Morgan and Ethan Kuehl, Lane and Lauren Guenther, Angelina, Thomas and Nathan Whitsett; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Emma; a brother, Richard Dana; and sisters, Florence Pongratz and Ruth Pedersen. Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 2, 2013, at St. Mary Immaculate Conception Catholic Church."

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Shirley Louise DANA and (Unknown) WHITSETT were married.¹⁹ (Unknown) WHITSETT was born (date unknown).

Shirley Louise DANA and (Unknown) WHITSETT had the following children: