Obituary – Shirley M. Ramsey

Shirley May (Kiser) Buckner, Ramsey was born to Gale H. Kiser and Ethel Arletha (Harris) Kiser in Waterloo, Iowa, on October 1, 1924, and passed away December 20, 2020.

She married Floyd Buckner October 23, 1942, in Houston, Mo. They had three children, Leroy Floyd Buckner, Darlene Reed and Janice Barwick.

She later married Morgan Dale Ramsey and they adopted his four-year-old daughter from Korea, Shauna (Ramsey) Diedrich.

Preceding her in death were her parents; one son, Leroy; one granddaughter, Pamela Sue Buckner; one grandson, Michael Barwick; one son-in-law, Kenneth Reed; two brothers, Melvin and Marshall Kiser; three sisters, Mabel Cook, June Fansler and Doris Wright; three brothers-in-law, Harmon Fansler, Hubert Wright and Oris Ballard and one sister-in-law, Ann Kiser.

Surviving are Darlene Reed, Janice Barwick (Mitchell), Shauna Diedrich (Kevin), one sister, Nadine Ballard; six grandchildren, Kandy McElfresh (Douglas), Michelle Gorman (Rodney), Teri Patterson (Deric), Angela Wade, Tyler Diedrich (Makaela), and Morgan Diedrich; ten great-grandchildren, Toni (Wade) Budnik (Scott), Travis Wade (Jody), Ben McElfresh (Chelsea), Chad McElfresh, Lindsey McElfresh, Marcus Gorman, Grace Gorman, Emily Patterson and Kenna Patterson; and one great-granddaughter due in March 2021; five great-great-grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Trinity and Zander Wade and Paisley and Mason McElfresh and other nieces, nephews and friends.

Shirley enjoyed growing up on the Kiser farm two miles west of Success, Mo., playing with her six brothers and sisters and her three cousins, Opal and Hazel and Elmer (Jr.) Harlan.

She attended Gladden School and Gladden Free Will Baptist Church. She graduated at Houston High School in 1941 and married Floyd Buckner in October 1942. She attended SMS in Springfield and taught eleven years in rural schools of Texas County, eighteen years at Licking, then twelve years counseling at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. She retired in 1984 and operated, with Dale’s help, a dog kennel, raising and selling many breeds of AKC puppies.

She later enjoyed her second retirement in Licking, where she enjoyed going to Boone Creek Baptist Church and Licking Senior Center, crocheting, reading and doing crossword puzzles. Most of all she enjoyed her kids and grandkids.

A service for Shirley was held on Wednesday, December 23, 2020, at 1 p.m. at Fox Funeral Home with Pastor Wayne Carrigan officiating. Visitation was held one hour prior to the service. Interment followed at Boone Creek Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Fox Funeral Home. Online condolences may be left at www.foxfh.net.