Shirley Elizabeth Gilmore, 73, of Willard, Missouri passed away on Friday, February 21,
2025, at Maranatha Village Rehabilitation Center in Springfield. Shirley was born on
January 25, 1952, in Plattsburg, Kansas, the youngest of three children born to
Margaret Juanita (Fisher) and Lowry M. Gilmore.

In 1970, Shirley graduated from Willard High School as class Valedictorian. Following
high school, she attended Missouri State University where she completed her Bachelor
of Science degree in history and geology in 1974. That fall, with a mission to work in
one of Missouri's small, rural school districts, Shirley moved to Marquand, in Southeast
Missouri where she taught for the next twenty-five years at Marquand-Zion High School,
raising the bar for excellence in education. During this time, she and former student
turned life-long friend, Denny Ward, spearheaded the development of the Marquand
Historical Park by moving and restoring a 200-year-old log homestead, moving a
section of the E.S. Lett Memorial Bridge, establishing The Depot Museum and
organizing Pioneer Days, an annual celebration that carries on today in the Marquand
community.

Retiring from Marquand-Zion with great fanfare, Shirley returned to Willard, MO where
she would care for her mother and eventually build a new home on the Gilmore Family
Farm. It was during this time that Shirley completed her Masters in Geology at
Southwest Missouri State University, worked as the Educational Director for Fantastic
Caverns, and became a Lay Minister of the United Methodist Church. As a Lay
Minister, Shirley pastored Elwood Methodist Church and later accepted the position of
Church Secretary at Pathways United Methodist Church in Springfield, MO where she
remained until 2021.

Following her final retirement decision, Shirley was able to pursue her life's passion for
formalized science fiction writing. In 2014, she published the first in a series known as
"Bucky and The Lukefahr Ladies," which has evolved into its eighth volume (which was
in the final editing stages at the time of her passing) plus two spin-off books from the
series.

In addition to these accomplishments, Shirley was a gifted artist who hand painted her
Christmas cards each year, a budding violinist, talented sewing, quilting and needlecraft
artist, nature enthusiast, avid animal lover, gardener and humanitarian.

Shirley was proceeded in death by her parents and sister-in-law Mary Ann Middlemas-
Gilmore. She is survived by her brothers Lowry Michael Gilmore of Lexington, VA and
Daniel Gilmore and his wife, Janice, of Willard, MO. Nephews, Seth, Brennan, Shawn
(Kate), and Nathan (Amy) Gilmore, and Nieces, Meredyth (Steven) and Tiffany, plus
several great nephews and nieces.

Funeral arrangements are under the care of Wilson-Griffin Funeral Home in Ash Grove,
with services to be held on Thursday, March 6, at Pathways United Methodist Church in
Springfield. Visitation is scheduled at 11:00 a.m., followed by a 1:00 p.m. service.
Interment will be at Greenlawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to
Marquand Development Corporation – P.O. Box 101 – Marquand, MO 63655 to help
preserve the Henry & Jane Bess-Sitze Log Homestead and Marquand Depot Museum.