Obituary: Eggers, Shirley Elaine
She was 89, the youngest child of Hexie and Jeanette (Reynolds) Eggers she was born in Colfax, WA in 1923 and grew up in Penewawa with her sisters, Geraldine and Madge on the ranch that her parents first homesteaded in 1916.
She attended grade school in Penewawa and graduated from Colfax High School in 1941.
Following graduation she married Stacy Eggers on December 24, 1941.
They made their home in Penewawa near her parents, eventually purchasing the ranch from them and raising their three children in the same home that her father had built.
Always a homemaker, she was very community minded and always welcoming to anyone who came to her home.
Raising fruit and livestock, she played an active role in working beside Stacy.
In 1968 their ranch and home was flooded by Little Goose Dam.
At that time they moved to the Columbia Basin near George, WA and purchased irrigated farmland there, raising wheat, alfalfa and cattle.
Shirley was active in the community and in 2003 was honored as the George Citizen of the Year.
She was a member of the First Baptist Church, The Burkettes, Quincy Senior Center and George Seniors.
In 1986 she and Stacy purchased back a portion of their Penewawa property that became available.
The land was reclaimed and together they reestablished Warm Springs Ranch and planted peach trees.
She and Stacy enjoyed spending summers there, tending the orchard, selling peaches and visiting with old friends and neighbors until his passing in 2000.
For the next 13 summers, she and her sister, Madge, with the help of family and friends continued the tradition there.
In 1995, Shirley was one of 12 farm women selected from Whitman County to write their life story in a book called Rural Reflections.
She was a true pioneer woman with an exceptional work ethic, a strong faith and a great love for her family and friends.
In recent years she especially enjoyed her time at the Quincy Senior Center and the ladies who came to her home on Monday for pinochle.
She gave without reservation of herself and was an inspiration and encouragement to many even in her later years and always felt she had truly had a wonderful life.
Shirley is survived by her sister, Madge Griner of Mead, children, Terry (Janet) Eggers of Sandpoint, ID and Patsy (Mike) Kromm of Quincy, daughter-in-law and grandson Janie and Casey Eggers Albuquerque, NM, grandchildren, Mark (Keri) Placke, Michael (Leia) Placke, Christopher (Amanda) Placke, great-grandchildren, Garnet, Calvin, Noah and Lincoln Plackeof nephews, Monte, Lynn and Duane Steiger and Dean Griner along with many friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Geraldine Steiger, her husband Stacy, and son, Scott.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11 AM on Monday, July 22, 2013 at the First Baptist Church of Quincy, followed by another service at 11 AM on Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax with burial to follow in the Colfax Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Quincy Senior Center, 522 F Street SE, Quincy, WA, USA, 98848.
Please leave a memory for the family or sign their online guest book at www.scharbachs.com SCHARBACH’S COLUMBIA FUNERAL CHAPEL, Quincy, is handling arrangements for the family.