Shirley Zirwes

Shirley Zirwes, 93, died in her sleep following cancer complications on April 2, 2025, at Sandoval RMC in Rio Rancho, NM.

Shirley Ann Bisher was born Sept 10, 1931, to Aline Bard and Frank Bisher in Springfield, Mo. Her father died when she was just 14 months old, and a few months later she survived a serious illness that foreshadowed her lifelong mettle. The illness curled her toes permanently and she hid them for 70 years, until persuaded that they were evidence of her strength.

Shirley worked for Southwestern Bell while she attended high school. At 16, she moved alone to St Louis, transferring to a St Louis office and living in a YMCA. With her work supervisor signing off on her admission, she completed her degree in night classes at Soldan High School in St. Louis.

She had lively stories of rooming with other telephone operators from SW Bell; eight women on round-the-clock shift work sharing a 3-bedroom apartment made for suspicious landlords and entertaining hijinks. Those roommates became lifelong friends, though Shirl outlasted them all.

In 1956, she married Jules "Jay" Zirwes, and they had three daughters and a son.

She and Jay reared their family in Valley Park, Mo, moving to Kirkwood, Mo, in 1978. Jay died in 1995; after a time, she reinvented her life and thrived for many years, helping with her grandson. Later, she moved sight-unseen to Albuquerque with her daughter Katy's family, where she lived her last 11 years. She adored all four of her grandsons.

She was fun-loving and child-like in her appreciation and wonder of the world around her, to the point of engaging in Nerf-gun battles with her youngest grandson. She even had her own Nerf gun, which she buckled up its own overnight case, ready to roll.

Shirl had deep curiosity about the world and empathy for the people in it. She was a sharp dresser and had high standards; her magazine-ready looks and shopping stamina were legendary.

Her favorite place was the beach; she loved to travel and was a good travel companion. A landmark trip to Normandy, France, remained one of her favorite stories.

If you met Shirley, you knew she was a pro at getting information out of you. She was gifted at finding out your biographical background, work history, and motivations. We told her she would have made a fantastic CIA operative.

Despite struggling with undiagnosed dyslexia, she read three hours a day or more most of her life. She had five books going at the end and was on her e-reader on her very last day. She was quite well-read and informed about current events, and she had strong political opinions.

Late in her life, she consented to trying bingo and was quickly embraced by her Bernalillo County Senior Center friends, who pampered her and made her last couple years a joy. She reveled in discovering each person's story.

Again and again, she prevailed over daunting health issues, giving her a nickname of "Tenacious Shirl". She defeated double pneumonia at least five times; broke her hip and walked home, then had it pinned the next day; triumphed over double bypass heart surgery. Up to the very last, her care providers were amazed at her strength and spark despite a growing list of illnesses.

Shirley is survived by her daughters, Cindy Zirwes of St. Louis, Judy Wachner of Ocala, Fla., and Katy Scott of Albuquerque; two sons-in-law, Michael Wachner and Steve Scott; four grandsons, the lights of her life: Thomas Finkenkeller, Andrew Finkenkeller, John Jules Scott, and Caleb Scott. She's also survived by nieces and nephews Jennifer Quick, Amy Harvey, Mary Quick, Steve Bisher, and Stan Bisher, and their families. Good friends include Pat Reichwein of Kirkwood, Mo.; Stefani Grof of Corrales, NM; and Marlene Ketchum of Albuquerque. She was predeceased by her husband, her brother, Brooks Bisher, and one son, John Collins Zirwes.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to a Democratic cause of your choice; any library; or to the Bernalillo County Community Center.