Funeral services will be 10 a.m., Thursday, June 4th at Overton Funeral Home in Indianola with graveside services held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the Green Lawn Cemetery in Afton, IA. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 3 at Overton Funeral Home with family present to greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m.

Shirley Shields was born in Union County, Iowa on July 10, 1932, the daughter of Neale and Mary Ethel White. She grew up in Afton with her six siblings; brothers, Willard, Louis, and Ken; sisters, Leota, Lola, Marge and Faye. Shirley married her sweetheart, Bill Shields on September 21, 1948. The happy couple resided in Des Moines until 1966, when they moved to Lucas, IA to farm.

Shirley was the truest example of faith, generosity and unconditional love, sharing her time and talents with many family, friends and even total strangers as often as possible. She was also know for her wonderful culinary skills, most especially her amazing cinnamon rolls, fried chicken, and cherry cobbler. She opened her heart and her home to everyone. Above all else, Shirley adored her family and cherished her role as daughter, sister, mother, wife, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and great-aunt.

Shirley's life is celebrated by her husband Bill, children; Dianna Tiedemann and husband Chuck, Mike Shields and partner Cherry, Debbie Van Heeswyk and husband Les, Denise Shields and partner Tina, Scott Shields and wife Karen, Kristy Bell, Shelly Thomas and husband Jim. Her 22 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren, sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews honor her life.

On May 31, 2009, Jesus took her hand and led her to Heaven. Preceding her in death were her parents, her brothers, brothers-in-law, Theodore Thompson, Raymond McKnight and Donavan Kennedy and her nephew Roger Thompson, her grandson Eric Joseph Van Heeswyk, and great niece Katie Kennedy.

Memorial contributions may be made to Indianola Good Samaritan Center or American Heart Association.