Mrs. Shirley M. (LaRue) Esslinger 76, of Ash Grove, Mo., formerly of the Concordia, Kansas area, passed away on Thursday, March 19, 2015 at 10:10 a.m. in the Ash Grove Health Care Center, where she had resided for the past two years.

Shirley, the daughter of Elmer and Loretta (Hixson) LaRue, was born July 29, 1938, in Hays, Kansas. She grew up in the area and graduated from Hays High School in 1956. Shirley continued her education, receiving her B.S. and Masters degrees from Ft. Hays State University.
She was an educator. Shirley taught business education for five years at Cowker City High School. Later, teaching for 30 years in the Business Department at Cloud County Community
College, teaching Computer Science and Computer Software. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents; grandson, Zebulum O'Loughlin; and sister, Margarite Sandlin.

She survived by her five children: Linda Ramsey, and husband Rick, of Springfield, Mo., Grey O'Loughlin and wife Chris of Hugoton, Kansas, Mike O'Loughlin of Springfield Mo., Susan
Newton and husband Mike of Abline, Kansas and Travis Esslinger and wife Keri of Bowling
Green, Kentucky; 11 grandchildren; and 9 great grandchildren; two brothers: Dwight LaRue and wife of California, and Paul LaRue of Hays, Kansas; and twin sister, Sharon Walker of Wichita, Kansas; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions in her memory may be given to the Scholarship Fund at Cloud Community College, Concordia, Kansas.