Shirley Fitchett

Shirley Fitchett, age 67, of Varina, Iowa, died Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at the Good Samaritan Center in Newell, Iowa. Services for Mrs. Fitchett will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, May 4, 2009 at the United Methodist Church in Varina. Burial will be in the Newell Cemetery. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Newell is in charge of the arrangements. Friends may call from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 3rd at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Newell, where the family will be present. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the American Cancer Society for research. Shirley M. Fitchett was born May 11, 1941 to Ada Scott and Jack Custer in Des Moines, Iowa. Her life was blessed when she was adopted by Carl and Hilda (Otteman) Johnson as an infant and was raised in the community of Newell, Iowa. She was baptized in St. Peter Lutheran Church in Newell, where she began attending Sunday School in August of 1945. Shirley was confirmed in St. Peterâ€™s and remembered always her confirmation verse of Revelations 2:10. She received her education in the Newell school system, graduating from Newell High School with the Class of 1959. On February 2, 1962, Shirley was united in marriage to Floyd Fitchett, Jr. The couple was blessed with six children: Jolene, Julie, Brenda, Debra, Susan and Dennis. Shirley was a loving wife and devoted mother who found in her family and friends her greatest earthly treasure. She had a great appreciation for family genealogy and spent many hours researching her familyâ€™s roots and helping others with their family histories. Additionally, Shirley enjoyed many crafts and woodworking projects, as well as spending time at the library in Varina to visit and cut coupons. She worked with the Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts when her children were of that age, and she was a member of the V. F. W. Auxiliary in Newell until it closed. She also worked for a time at the old Morgan Nursing Home in Storm Lake. At the time of her death, Shirley was a member of the United Methodist Church in Varina, Iowa. She had a four-legged companion, Cora Mae, who was very special to her. Shirley will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her. Left to cherish her memory are her children: Jolene Fitchett of Newell, Iowa; Julie (Kipp) North of Varina, Iowa; Debra Davis of Newell; Susan (Dennis) Trimpe of Newell; and Dennis (Annie) Fitchett of Laurens, Iowa; her grandchildren: Joe, Randy, Jana, Kerry, Heaven, Logan, Zach, Dereck, Destini, Tyler, Addison, Ivory, Jensen, Paris, and Albert.; her great-grandchildren: Jacob, Josie, Justice and Kayleigh; her sisters: Dorothy (Chuck) Dickey of Des Moines, Iowa; Helen Wilson of Paradise, California; Karis (Dayton) Sneve of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Roseanna (John) Moore of East Palestine, Ohio; her brothers: Terry (Sharon) Lampman of Des Moines, Iowa and Stan Johnson of Coralville, Iowa; extended family and many friends. Shirley was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Floyd Fitchett, Jr.; her infant daughter, Brenda; one sister, Virginia Peterson; and three brothers: Don Briggs, Jack Timke and Joe Jensen.

Shirley Fitchett

May 11, 1941 - April 28, 2009