Shirley Mae (Mesenbrink) Ingram

Shirley Mae (Mesenbrink) Ingram of Onawa, Iowa passed away on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at Pleasant View Nursing Home in Whiting, Iowa. She lived a life of 98 years young.

A memorial service will be 10:30 A.M. on Friday, May 23, 2025 at the First Christian Church, Onawa, Iowa with Jack Gibler, officiating. A live stream of the service will be posted on the Goslar Funeral Home website with Shirley’s obituary. Burial will follow in the Onawa Cemetery, Onawa, Iowa. A visitation will be 6:00 P.M.– 8:00 P.M. Thursday, May 22, 2025 at the Goslar Funeral Home Chapel, Onawa, Iowa. Arrangements are under the direction of Goslar Funeral Home and Monuments, Onawa, Iowa.

Shirley was born on October 3, 1926, in Schleswig, Iowa, the first child of Marvin and Hazel (Meadows) Mesenbrink. She was raised in Denison, Iowa, until the family moved to a farm in Solider, Iowa. She attended country and East Monona Schools until she and her sister Bonnie moved to Onawa in High School to live with Uncle and Aunt Barney and Enda Mesenbrink. The girls wanted jobs while attending school. While attending school, she worked at the HWY 75 Cafe. She graduated on May 22, 1946, from Onawa High School.

While attending school, she met Kenneth Ingram, a young man who was smitten with her. At first, she didn’t like him, but in time and constant letters written back and forth while Kenneth was in the Army Air Corp stationed in the Pacific Theatre during WWII. Cupid did his tricks, or it could have been the letters he won her heart, and they were married on September 13, 1946, at the First Christian Church in Onawa, Iowa. The couple celebrated 67 years together.

The couple made their home in Onawa and had nine children, Bob, Jim, Gary, Marilyn, Don, Mike, Steve, Bruce, and Tracy. With that pack of kids, they kept her busy at all times. She was chasing them down, fixing booboos, wiping noses, and trying to keep them rounded up. Her children's fondest memories were the treats she would have waiting for them when they got out of school and the cool touch of her hand on a forehead when one was sick. With her cool hand and the smell of her Jergens Hand Lotion, you knew you would be all right.

When the kids were old enough, she placed a bean hook in their hands and had them hoeing beans for local farmers. Oh, she paid us kids. She would take any neighborhood kid who wanted to work in the fields with her. She was never shy about working hard. She would work part-time at Elmwood Nursing Home, eventually turning full-time. She accepted the position Head of Housecleaning and later retired in 1992.

She loved gardening. Growing vegetables was not just a necessity for her large family; she loved to do it. At one time, she cared for three large gardens. During the summer months, the family dined on fresh vegetables but had all the vegetables she had canned for winter. Dad always said, “You could take the woman off the farm, but you can’t take the farm out of the woman.” Another one of his favorite sayings was, “She is a stubborn German.” His pet name for her was “Hermie,” which was always a puzzle to us kids. At the drop of a hat, we wanted to go to our Grandparent's farm. We were packed in the car, and off we went.

She was fair and kind, but you knew you were in trouble when she gave you that look. It was either wait until your dad got home or the silent treatment, which was the worst. We didn’t know what was worse. We forgave her. We loved her, and we cherished her. She was our mom.

She is survived by her children, Bob (Pat) Ingram of Charles City, Iowa, Marilyn (Phil) Schroder of Onawa, Iowa, Mike (Micki) Ingram of Mapleton, Iowa, Steve Ingram of Onawa, Iowa, Bruce Ingram of Onawa, Iowa, and Tracy Ingram of Onawa, Iowa; daughters-in-law, Peg Ingram of Onawa, Iowa and Barbara Ingram of Onawa, Iowa; sisters, Marlene Mesenbrink of Broken Bow, Oklahoma and Charmaine Ingram of Whiting, Iowa; forty-one grandchildren; thirty-two great-grandchildren; and fifty great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Marvin and Hazel Mesenbrink; her in-laws, Elmer and Grace (Cummins) Ingram; her husband, Kenneth Ingram, in 2014; her son, Jim Ingram in 1997; her son, Gary Ingram, in 1981; her son, Don Ingram in 2013; her granddaughter, Christy (Ingram) Valentine in 2020; her brothers, Dewayne (Phyllis) Mesenbrink, Byron (Jan) Mesenbrink, Larry ( Pauline ) Mesenbrink and Bonnie (Eldon) Yorty; her in-laws, Agnes ( Jack ) Koehn, Shirley ( Red ) Richardson, Richard Ingram, Brian Richardson, Larry Koehn, Darell Mesenbrink, and Colleen Yorty; and daughters-in-law, Debbie Ingram and Debra Ingram Mathes.

Godspeed Mama! Save us a spot!

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Shirley’s memory may be directed to Auxiliary of Pleasant View- In Care of Linda Davis and mailed to: P.O. Box #272 Whiting, Iowa 51063.

Condolences may be left online for the family at www.goslarfuneralhome.com

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