Shirley Grace (Ganahl) McLaughlin, 89, of Dubuque, died Saturday, November 26, 2022, at home with her family by her side.

A rosary service will be held at 3:00 pm Wednesday, November 30, 2022 at Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home & Crematory followed by visitation until a 7:00 pm prayer service.

The Mass of Christian Burial for Shirley will be 10:30 am Thursday, December 1, 2022, at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church with Father Brian Dellaert as the Celebrant. Entombment will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery in Dubuque

Shirley was born January 5, 1933, in Dubuque, IA, the daughter of Jym C. and Grace C. Jansen Ganahl.

She graduated from Dubuque Senior High School in 1951.  The day after graduation, she began working as a key punch operator at Interstate Power Company.  It was at Interstate Power where she met the love of her life, Robert A. McLaughlin.  They were married on August 13, 1955.  Together they had four children. In 1971, she got a job at JC Penney where she worked until she retired in 1995.

Shirley was a member of St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church. Shirley bowled for many years at Creslanes & Riverside Bowl in the “Ladies Big 12” league. She was an avid golfer, playing in four ladies leagues at Lacoma Golf Club for six years. She loved to play cards with her children and grandchildren. She especially enjoyed family vacations and fishing in Atkin, MN, teaching her children and grandchildren a love of fishing that had been passed on to Shirley by her parents.

“She was a devoted wife, an adoring mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, daughter, sister, and aunt. She was a caretaker, always baking and providing meals for her children and grandchildren.
She was FUN!!  She always led with kindness and gentleness.”

Survivors include her husband, Robert; four children, Kim M. (James) Koetz of Centralia, Mark R. (Joyce) McLaughlin of Phoenix, AZ, Kathryn A. (Grant Veitch) Yudys of Mauston, WI, and Kristine M. (Mark) Pregler of Dubuque; 11 grandchildren, Cassandra (Brandon) Schetgen, Katie (Tyler) Jones, Sarah (Tony) Richard, Jason McLaughlin, Tyler (Molly Slough) McLaughlin, Athena McLaughlin, Nicole (Brian Gabry) Yudys, Joshua Yudys, Justin (Arellhi) Pregler, Brandon (Liz) Veitch, Christina Veitch; and eight great-grandchildren, Felicity Schetgen, Lucy Schetgen, Cecilia Schetgen, Francis Jones, Gabriel Jones, Jaxon Pregler, Addison Veitch and Mila Veitch; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, one grandson, Alex Veitch, two brothers, Robert Ganahl and Ken Ganahl, and two sisters, June Seitz and Joann Williams.

Thank you to Dr. Phillip Bailey who showed overwhelming compassion and care as well as the nursing staff at Finley Hospital and Hospice of Dubuque.

A photo tribute can be viewed and condolences sent to the family by visiting Shirley’s obituary at www.hskfhcares.com.