Shirley Jean Gerig

Shirley was born, one of eleven children, on July 11, 1934, in Kenmare, North Dakota to John and Malinda Kauffman.  She moved to Oregon with her family at age 2 and grew up in the Corvallis/Albany area where she met her lifelong fishing and hunting partner, Rex Gerig.  They were married in 1954 and fished, hunted, and loved each other for over 68 years.

The young couple moved to Denver, CO in 1955 where he did 1W work, while she worked as a nurse's aide at General Rose Memorial Hospital and their first two children were born.  They moved back to Oregon in 1957 and to Milwaukie, OR in 1959, where her final two children were born, and she lived out her full life.

In Milwaukie, Shirley worked as a cook at Ardenwald Elementary School, managed two different Arby's restaurants and finished her career as the head cook at Concord Elementary School, from which she retired in the mid 1980’s.  She loved to cook for large occasions at her church and was the Outdoor school cook for several years even after she retired.  She couldn’t stay away from the kitchen, so she cooked at North Clackamas Senior Center and for Meals on Wheels for many years.

After she and her husband retired, Shirley liked to travel, spend winters in Sun City, AZ and watch her family grow.  She loved family, family vacations, camping and get-togethers.  She was surrounded by her husband, children, and some grandchildren in her home as she passed peacefully into the presence of her Lord on March 3, 2023. 

She leaves behind her husband, Rex; four siblings, Bob Kauffman, Millie Wyatt, John Kauffman, and Judy Cavanagh; four children and spouses, Shirleen and Mark Stoller, Jerri and Shawn Brock, Ric & Daria Gerig, and Lonny and Cherlynn Gerig; 19 grandchildren; and 43 great-grandchildren.

A Visitation will be 4 to 7 p.m., Thursday, March 9, 2023 at Stehn Family Chapels Milwaukie Tribute Center, Milwaukie, OR; followed by a Cemetery Service, 1 p.m., Saturday, March 11, 2023 at Fairview Mennonite Cemetery, Albany, OR.

A Celebration of Life will be 2 p.m., Saturday, March 25, 2023 at New Life Church Gladstone, 6125 Caldwell Rd, Gladstone, OR 97027.

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