Shirley Zundel passed away on February 13, 2025. She was the daughter of Lawrence and Margaret (Gongaware) Shrum and was born in Brownsville, Texas, on May 27, 1935.
Shirley graduated from North Huntington High School and Shadyside School of Nursing, later obtaining her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She worked at Shadyside Hospital, taught obstetrics at the Indiana Hospital School of Nursing, performed private duty nursing, and worked at the Indiana Guidance Center. She spent most of her career as a school nurse at Ben Franklin and Eisenhower Elementary Schools and Indiana Senior High School.
Shirley always considered Homer City her hometown. She was a nurse and managed a family-owned dog boarding business, Cherry Run Kennels. She enjoyed walking dogs and spending afternoons in the pool overlooking the gorgeous countryside near Brookside Dairy with family and friends. Shirley supported her husband’s passion for gardening and canning the harvest. Her past interests and hobbies included snow skiing, sewing, quilting, knitting, reading, and baking. She attended Hope Lutheran Church in Homer City, serving as a member of the church council, choir, Women’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, a Sunday school teacher, and her cherished role as seamstress for Hope’s Quilters. She sewed hundreds of quilts through the Lutheran World Relief Program for those in need. Shirley enjoyed many years after retirement in Florida’s Sun City Center, bicycling, dancing, golfing, and working as the starter at her favorite clubhouse.
Shirley was described as having a “really good attitude,” an adoring trait that complemented her incredible zeal for ordinary life. She always enjoyed showing family members how to play her favorite card or board game. Her most recent joy was knitting prayer shawls or afghans for everyone she knew. Shirley was known as the “cookie lady,” making dozens of chocolate chip cookies for her friends at Concordia at Cabot (Haven II), where she has been an independent living resident for the past four years.
Shirley was preceded in death by her 16-year-old son, Bob, in 1977; her parents, Lawrence and Margaret Shrum; her brothers, Bob and Larry Shrum; her sisters Dorothy Walker and June Neiman; and more recently, her beloved husband for 66 years – Warren. She is also survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Kevin and Cindy Zundel; her daughter, Susan Zundel; her grandchildren, Bill Altmeyer and wife Jenna, Shawn Green and partner Amanda DeVore, Brad Green and fiance Katie Collins and Zachary Zundel. Her great-grandchildren Casey, Max, Samantha Altmeyer, and Sebastian DeVore also survive her.
A memorial service will be held at the Bowser Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., Homer City, on Saturday, March 22, 2025. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the memorial fund at Hope Lutheran Church, 35 Ridge Avenue, Homer City, Pennsylvania, 15701. Please visit bowserfh.com to sign the online guestbook or view the service information once it becomes available.
