Shirley A. Douglas, age 80 of Darlington, was received into God’s arms for eternal rest on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016. She was known for her honesty, strict rules, and delicious baking and cooking through the years. Shirley was a hard working single mother that taught her daughter that you have to work for what you get in life. Be honest and truthful to people and treat them as you wish to be treated. We are all God’s children and no one is better or worse than anyone else.
Shirley was the oldest daughter of Alpha and Hattie Josephine (Mayne) Douglas. She was born on Tuesday, July 9, 1935 in Monroe. She graduated from Darlington High School in 1953.
Shirley babysat in her teens and into her twenties for several families in rural Darlington and Monroe. Then in March of 1957 she started her employment at MicroSwitch in Warren, Ill. where she worked until her retirement on December 30, 1990. Following her retirement, she looked forward to the Micro retiree lunches that were scheduled from March thru November. After her retirement she returned to Darlington. She started babysitting for her nieces, nephews, and others in Darlington. Over the years she babysat for many children. She was known for her good cooking and baking, waffles, pancakes, homemade noodles, and delicious melt in your mouth sugar cookies. Shirley was in her glory in her kitchen. Her pecan pie was a good one for raising money for Relay for Life and the Friendship Fund in Darlington. In 1992 Shirley started signing up many of her baked goods for the Lafayette County Fair, open class division, winning many merit awards and blue ribbons.
Shirley is survived by her daughter: Pamela (J. Michael) Gould of rural Darlington; three grandchildren: Michael (Rose) Gould, Robert (Ashley Knight) Gould, and Jeremy (Audrey) Gould; nine great-grandchildren: Riley John, Aliyah, Shayla, Mallory, Logan, and Myles Gould, Kasen Knight, and Emma, Ben, and Michaela Mason; four brothers: Robert (Marilyn) Douglas of Mukwonago, Harold (Barb) Douglas, Donald “Bucky” (Pauline) Douglas, and Gary Douglas all of Darlington; three sisters: Doris (Ralph) Merriam of rural Darlington, Donna (Roger) Hoesly of Monroe, and Patsy (Delbert) Steiner of rural Darlington; one sister-in-law: A. Virginia Douglas of Darlington and 34 nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers: Richard J. and Albert E. Douglas; nephew: Bryan Douglas; nephew-in-law: Jon V. Riley; and sister-in-law: Margie Thomas-Douglas.
Shirley was a member and past officer of Bates-O’Brien-Howe-Wiegel-Roelli American Legion Post #214 Auxiliary, Royal Neighbors of America, and the MicroSwitch of Warren Retiree Lunch Group. She loved baking for her grandkids and great-grandkids and looked forward to having them visit. She enjoyed listening to Darlington sports and Wisconsin Badger games on the radio or watching them on T.V. Shirley enjoyed playing bingo, going to the dog track in Dubuque, Iowa, bowling, playing Euchre, Yass, Rummy and Dominos.  Shirley was also an avid country music fan and loved to go to concerts, especially Charlie Pride.
A funeral service will be held Friday, March 4, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. at Darlington United Methodist Church (546 Park Place, Darlington) with Rev. Angela Steinhauer officiating. Burial will be in Union Grove Cemetery. A visitation will be held Thursday, March 3, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Erickson Funeral Home (508 Main Street, Darlington) and on Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 9:45 a.m. at the church. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.ericksonfuneralhome.com.
For those who prefer, a memorial fund has been established in Shirley’s name.