Shirley Bodisch went on her journey to her heavenly home on September 18th, 2021, to be with her husband, Jerry. He has been waiting 9 years for her.
She was born Shirley Jean DeMoss on September 17th, 1946 in Dubuque, Iowa to Delbert & Frances (Portzen) DeMoss. Shirley was the 5th child out of nine children. She always joked how she was the black sheep of the family. She lived her younger years in Iowa until her family settled in Princeton, Missouri. She graduated from Princeton High School in 1965. Shortly after graduation she was living and working in Dubuque, Iowa. That is where she met her future husband, Gerald ‘Jerry’ Bodisch. On October 14th, 1967, they were married in Bethany, Missouri. They moved to Rockford, IL where Jerry worked at Chrysler. Shirley was a stay at home mom until her children were older and then she went back to work. She retired from Clinton Electronics in Loves Park, IL in the early 90’s. Mom enjoyed embroidering, riding her Harley along side dad, and keeping a clean and organized home. She also loved to write poetry and in the late 80’s was published and will be in the Library of Congress forever. She was so proud of that moment. She lived in Loves Park, IL until 1998 then she and Jerry moved to Lake Thunderhead in Unionville, MO. She wanted to be closer to her brothers and sisters. (Dad wanted to be closer to fishing.) Shirley was a person who got straight to the point and told you how and what she feels. She was a loving, sweet, sassy and feisty human being. Her second love was the love of her twin grandsons that were born in 2002. She would always tell anyone who would listen, that they were her babies. (But she did give her daughter credit for at least giving birth to them.)
Shirley is survived by a son, Donald Bodisch, Kirksville, MO and daughter Cindy (Chris) Melville of Columbia, MO. She is also survived by her grandsons, Aaron Melville of DeKalb, IL and Ian Melville of Holland, MI. Shirley is also survived by her brothers and sisters. Laverne DeMoss, Princeton, MO; Juanita (Fred) Gansemer, Delhi, IA; Kay (Larry) Shindelar, Ft. Atkinson, IA; Darlene (Gary) Carpenter, Kelso, WA; Duane (Norberta) DeMoss, Debbie Stevens, Dennis DeMoss and sister-in-law Carole DeMoss all of Princeton, MO. Also several cousins, nieces, nephews and godchildren Adam DeMoss and Amanda Davidson.
Shirley was predeceased by her husband, Jerry; her brother, Kenneth DeMoss and parents, Delbert and Frances DeMoss.
Shirley’s wishes are to be cremated and a private family service will be held at a later date for a mass of Christian burial at St. Bridget’s Catholic Church in Loves Park, IL. That is also when Shirley and Jerry will be laid to rest, with each other forever, at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Machesney Park, IL