Shirley May Pitsch
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Shirley May Pitsch was born on May 24, 1935 in Chippewa County, Wisconsin. She and her two brothers, Kenneth Arden and Keith Allen were raised on a small dairy farm along the Chippewa River on land purchased by their great-grandfather in the 1860s. Growing up, they were loved and protected by their parents-Ben and Inga (Schulz) Pitsch-and a large extended family.
Shirley loved being outdoors, helping her dad on the farm, bicycling, swimming, and reading. After attending a one-room country school and then high school in Chippewa Falls, she worked as a dental assistant in Eau Claire for five years.
Seeking adventure, she moved to California and found work in another dental office. There she met Stuart Murrell, who was then pursuing a Master's degree in wildlife biology. They were married on June 1, 1958 and spent their first summer living in a tent by the Susitna in the outback of Alaska as Stu worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. After living in many parts of the country, they happily returned to Idaho with their two sons, Eric Scott and Brett Gavin. They first lived in Lewiston for five years, then relocated to Jerome where they lived thereafter.
They enjoyed the great outdoors: camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, and backpacking. They built a house on three acres in Jerome County near the Snake River Canyon. Shirley spent her time here as an avid mother, gardener, and baker. She continued living there after Stu's death in 2005. In 2017, health problems made it necessary to sell her beloved home and move to Boise to be near her two sons and their families.
Shirley became a born-again Christian when she was 40 years old. At that time, God gave her a love for the Bible and a desire to teach Bible studies, which she did for the rest of her life. She hosted classes in church, in her home, and served 16 years as a substitute teaching leader for the Twin Falls Bible Study Fellowship. Lastly, upon moving to Boise, she started a Bible study at her new home in Grace Assisted Living. This consummate fellowship was well-attended.
She is survived by her sons Eric (Arlene) and Brett (Sherry); five grandchildren-Karissa (Mark), Jonathan, Charity, James (Jena), and Jessica; two great-grandchildren-Oliver and Charlotte; her brother Keith (Roxanne); and sister-in-law Cecilia.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, her prematurely-born twins David and Hannah, and her brother Kenneth.
The family would like to thank Grace Assisted Living, Keystone Hospice, and Nurse Kate Brown.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 26, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. at Bridgepoint Church - 2530 S. Broadway Ave, Boise, ID 83706.