OBITUARY

Shirley Estelle Werden

November 24, 1928 – July 15, 2017

Shirley Estelle Anderson was born on Nov. 24, 1928, to Cecil E. and Sarah (Lord) Anderson, and was the second of three children. She was raised in Trinidad, Colorado, and was a Daughter of the Eastern Star. During her senior year she served as the officer of hope, and then as worthy advisor. She graduated from Trinidad High School in 1945. She then attended The University of Denver and joined a Sigma Kappa sorority. During her youth, she worked at the family plumbing shop; doing accounting and other secretarial duties. On November 15, 1948, Shirley married Ralph D. Werden Jr. During the early years of their marriage Shirley also provided office support for the Werden Electric Company; while raising their two daughters, Sharron Dee and Wendy Marie. In 1958 they moved to Cortez, Co., for a short time where they both worked for Bill Nielsen, architect. Then returned to Trinidad in 1959.

When her daughters started school, Shirley attended Trinidad Junior College where she completed the Nursing program to become an LPN. The girls remember her practicing for a dexterity test using a board Ralph made her from screws and bolts. Upon graduation from TJC, she worked at Mount San Rafael Hospital in Trinidad: The family moved to Denver in 1962, and she started working at Presbyterian Hospital. She spent the next 25 years: first working in the Intensive Care Unit then later in the Women’s Care Unit.

While working at Presbyterian and raising her family, Shirley also attended The University of Colorado, Denver Center. She completed her degree in English Literature in 1971. While the girls were growing up, education and The Episcopal Church played central roles in family life. All four family members attended school throughout those years. You could say that school and studying together became a family thing. Wendy remembers attending classes with her mother while in grade school. And then in high school they discussed different aspects of American and English literature prepping for finals together, while washing dishes.

Shirley & Ralph raised their daughters at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. Both girls have memories of the Werden home being open to many souls that needed a friend or a meal, and sometimes even a roof over their head. Many Sunday dinners included strangers they had met at church that morning. No one was ever turned away from a meal at the Werden’s. Even if asked while it was already cooking. Their holidays always included special guests that would have otherwise been alone.

During the mid-1970s, the Rector of the St Mary’s decided to secede from the Episcopal Church. As the Werden Luck would have it, Ralph was serving on the Vestry as Senior Warden at the time. So, Shirley became Acting Treasurer. The next few years were spent on legalities and working with the dioceses to find a home for the St Mary’s community who were choosing to stay in the Episcopal Church. This lead them into deeper involvement in the Episcopal Dioceses of Colorado. The parish eventually found a home at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, where the parishes combined to become the Episcopal Church of St. Peter and St. Mary; as it is now. Shirley and the early St. Peter & St. Mary’s ECW members established both the Baker Neighborhood Meals-on-Wheels program and St. Claire’s Supper. There was a special group of ECW friends from the old St. Mary’s, who called themselves the “Blah, blah sisters”. These beautiful ladies remained life-long friends. They enjoyed celebrating monthly birthdays and other special occasions together. As they aged, Shirley became chauffeur to her friends, getting them to church and she sometimes drove for their girls’ night out to the symphony. In the early 2000s she took a trip to France & Italy with Alice and just a few years ago she and Bobbie took a Jazz in America bus tour of St Louis, New Orleans and Memphis.

In 1980, Shirley & Ralph were able to fulfill their lifelong dream of living in Europe; when Ralph accepted a position with the US Army in Germany. They moved to Stuttgart, and later to Heidelberg. While there, Shirley worked in the Heidelberg Base Office for the Red Cross, assisting the soldiers navigate military red tape. In 1984 the couple returned to Denver; where Ralph passed away the following October.

Shirley was devoted to the Episcopal Church. A woman of strong beliefs and faith, after losing the love her life, Shirley dedicated herself to Church Ministries. She served on the vestry, and inter-parish committees, helped count money, and attended Bible studies and retreats. She joined the Bishop’s contemplative prayer group. And she reconnected to the “Blah, Blah Sisters”. She resumed delivering Meals-on-Wheels around the church neighborhood, and started tutoring English as a Second Language to young parents through Greenlee Elementary. Keeping the “Gaust Haus Werden” tradition alive, she opened her second bedroom to her niece who was attending school. This was when she became everybody’s “Aunt Shirley” as she continued to open her heart and her home to those she loved. A gentle woman of wisdom, love and laughter and always a theater fan, Shirley enjoyed attending plays at The Denver Center for the Performing Arts with her daughters and granddaughter. Shirley was an avid reader. And book lover. Her son-in-law remembers when she changed apartments within her complex, and he and her grandson spent 14 hours moving the books across the courtyard. She loved learning and traveling. She was fascinated by history, architecture, and languages. She studied both German and Spanish.

During the early 1990s upon hearing her brother George was dying, Shirley rushed to Oregon. What she expected to be a couple of weeks, turned into a year or more. But she enjoyed the time with her sister-in-law who had always been her best friend. And she loved being able to spend time getting to know her grown-up nieces, nephews and their greats. Soon after that she found herself returning to Trinidad for another couple of years; while she settled the Anderson’s estates; those of her father and great aunts.

When she returned to Denver and her Meals-on-Wheels she also involved herself in administering St. Clair’s Supper. She shopped, cooked and lobbied for support through her Dioecian and ECW involvements. She organized volunteers and made them feel appreciated. Shirley always made it a point to speak to each guest and tried to learn as many names as she could. She built-up a sustainable inter-parish volunteer base, that continues to feed the hungry every Tuesday evening. Shirley was recognized in 2003 by Channel 9 as one of their “9 Who Care” Award, and the Dioceses Newspaper from April in the People Section:” Volunteer Without a Peer”; and in 2005 by Channel 7 as an “Everyday Hero” for her work When she retired from St. Clare’s Supper she continued to work for the homeless at the Broadway Assistance Center sorting donations.

Shirley left this world on July 15, 2017 at the age of 88. She was surrounded by her daughters, grandchildren and sons-in-law. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Ralph and Brother George. She is survived by her brother John, of Pueblo, Co: her daughters, Shari (Jamie) Oxley, of Wiley, CO., and Wendy (Vince) Ulibarri, grandson Adam (Aly) Ulibarri, one great-grandson, and a granddaughter, Alisha Ulibarri, all of Denver, Co.; In addition, numerous loving nieces and nephews (both natural & adopted), and several great nieces & nephews, not to mention many caring friends.

Shirley’s Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 p.m. on September 9, 2017; at The Episcopal Church of St. Peter & St Mary, 126 W 2nd Ave., Denver, Co., 80223. There will also be a second interment of ashes at Ft. Logan Cemetery, Staging Area A, on September 21, 2017 at 2:30 pm.

Donations can be made to:

St. Claire’s Supper

The Episcopal Church of

St. Peter & St. Mary

126 W. 2nd Ave

Denver, Co 80223

Heifer International

PO Box 8058

Little Rock AR 72203-8058

www.heifer.org/matching

Care Partners for Change

Care Gift Center,