Shirley K. Roark, 85, of Kimball, died at Kimball County Manor on Monday, Sept. 4, 2023. Funeral services for Shirley and her husband Larry who died May 9, 2022, will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023 at the Cantrell Funeral Home in Kimball with Pastor Tyler White officiating. Friends may visit www.cantrellfh.com to view their tribute walls and leave condolences and stories for the family. Memorials may be given to the family. The services for Shirley and Larry have been entrusted to the Cantrell Funeral Home.
Shirley Katherine Roark was born in Fort Collins, Colorado on June 18, 1938, the daughter of Earl O. and Ruby (Rice) Nichol. Shirley was the oldest out of five children. Her chores around the house included doing the family laundry and watching her siblings while her parents worked. She was raised and attended school in the Wellington, Colorado area. Shirley met and married Larry Jack Roark on June 2, 1957 in Fort Collins and to this union Pam, Leora and Sharon were born. The family moved to Kimball in October of 1964. Shirley worked for Herb and Helen Rutz at the Best Western Motel, she made lifelong friends with her fellow employees, Fran and Della. After retiring she delivered flowers for the Flower Haven and Timely Creations. Shirley also enjoyed watching her grandchildren and spending time with her family. She was a faithful member of the Kimball Church of the Nazarene, she would faithfully read her daily scriptures, teach Sunday school and served on the church board as well as many other committees. In her free time she enjoyed making pumpkin bread, popcorn balls and peanut butter cookies for family and friends during the holidays. Shirley enjoyed crafts, she would make sequined calendars for her family and friends. She was also an avid reader, and always had a book in hand.
Survivors include her children, Pam (Lynn) Hayden of Kimball, NE., Leora (Mark) Shields of Scottsbluff, NE., and Sharon Rose of Kimball, NE; grandchildren Jamie Hayden, Randee (Chad) Waterman, Aaron (Meredith) Christiansen, Andy (Amanda) Christiansen, Nicholas Shields and Conna (Landon) McGurie; great grandchildren Rylee Hottell, Graesyn and Reese Waterman, Jack and Griffin McGuire, Brendan and Braylynn Shields, Alexis, A.J., Aundrea, Asher, April, Aiden, Alex and Aspyn Christiansen; sisters Janice Graham of Laporte, CO., Pauline (Roger) Day of Chino, CA., and Colleen Masters of Laporte, CO; sister-in-law Patsy Nelson of Cheyenne, WY and brother-in-law John (Janey) Williamson of Cheyenne, WY. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, parents, step father, husband, brother Eugene Nichol, brothers-in-law Melvin Masters, Nelin Nelson, Lonny Graham, niece Esther Graham and numerous aunts and uncles and many cousins.