Shirley R. Bigham

Shirley Rae Bigham was born Shirley Rae Beeler on January 9, 1938 at Beloit, Kansas. She departed this life after a short, but intense illness with liver disease and cancer on late Wednesday afternoon, May 31, 2006 at the Mitchell County Hospital in Beloit, Kansas with her husband, two daughters, and some of the nurses who had cared for her by her side.
Shirley was the daughter of Raymond and Marvel Anderson Beeler. She was raised from birth until when she married on a farm northeast of Randall, Kansas.
Shirley's school years were spent at Randall Grade School, proceeding on to Randall Rural High School where she was a graduate of the Class of 1956. College years first led Shirley to the University of Kansas, where she became a proud member of the Delta Delta Delta Sorority. Upon her junior year in college, Shirley transferred to Fort Hays State University, to follow more closely the basketball career of her high school sweetheart, Don. While at Fort Hays State, Shirley had the honor of being named Fort Hays State University "Sweetheart Queen" one year and Fort Hays State University "Mayfete Queen" the next. Don and Shirley enjoyed sharing his basketball success and her reigning as "Queen" together for their last two years of college, as she graduated in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education.
As Don and Shirley had been sweethearts since high school, it was only natural that they were wed after graduation on June 12, 1960, at the Randall Community Church.
Don and Shirley's teaching career began in Junction City, Kansas. Shirley kept busy teaching second grade and following Don's career as a high school teacher and his many games as a basketball coach. In the fall of 1962, they traveled west to Hoxie, where she taught for two years. Other teaching and coaching jobs of Don's led them to live in Glasco, Beloit, and Concordia. With the move to Randall in 1976 for Don and Shirley to help her father and mother with the family farm and with both daughters now in school, returning to teaching became an added addition again to her life. She taught in the Randall and Jewell schools as a Title I teacher until her retirement in 2002, with a total of 30 years in education.
For all of those that knew Shirley, she had many things that she enjoyed in life. Decorating her home, the wreaths on her front door, and knick knacks in her home were always overflowing. Following the activities of her six grandchildren seemed to take up much of her time, but she and Don would always find time once a week to shop or look for antiques, or as Shirley would say, "Just go somewhere."
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond and Marvel Beeler and her in-laws, Homer and Ruth Bigham.
She is survived by her husband of close to 46 years, Don of Randall, Kansas, daughter Stephanie and husband Brad Barrett of Randall, Kansas, and daughter Allison and husband Troy Carlgren of Courtland, Kansas. She is survived by grandchildren Shelby, Jake, and Sydney Barrett of Randall, and Dawson, Brailyn, and Brody Carlgren of Courtland. Shirley is also survived by a brother in-law Robert Bigham and wife Kathryn of Tillery, North Carolina, two nieces Lori Bigham and Susanne Sutton, two nephews David Bigham and Billy Stanley, and two great-nephews Tyler and Brooks Sutton. She is also survived by a host of cousins and many dear friends.

Funeral services will be at 2:00 PM Monday at the Randall Community Church with burial in Wallace Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM Sunday at the McDonald Funeral Home in Beloit where the family will receive friends from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Memorials may be given to the church or Mitchell County Hospital nursing department.