Shirley M. Morlan

Published 10:46 am Saturday, July 27, 2024

Jan. 13, 1935-July 23, 2024

Shirley Mae Morlan, age 89, of Marcellus, Michigan, passed away at the home of her daughter and son-in-law in South Bend, Indiana July 23, 2024 after a year-long battle with congestive heart failure.
She was born Jan. 13, 1935, the youngest of five children born to Arthur and Eldora (Mann) Reigle.
Shirley graduated from Marcellus Rural Agricultural High School in 1953. On June 14, 1956, she married Max “Russ” Morlan who preceded her in death in 2015. Shirley retired from the Marcellus Community Schools in 1995 after 28 years of service as secretary to elementary and middle school principals. She was also employed at different times at the G.W. Jones Bank. She appreciated the friendship of her co-workers and enjoyed entertaining them at her home.
Other than a brief time in New Jersey while Russ was in the military, Shirley lived her life in Marcellus.
She was a very good baker. Chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal, snickerdoodle, and raisin-filled cookies, cherry and strawberry rhubarb pie were a few of her delicious creations. One benefit of her employment with the school, from her children’s point of view, she was one of the first on the list to know when school was closed due to snow. Those mornings would bring her homemade cinnamon rolls hot out of the oven.
Shirley enjoyed embroidery, bird watching, reading, and traveling. Travel was mostly by car or bus trips as Russ did not want to fly. She attended Marcellus United Methodist Church and was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; step-mother Mae Reigle; siblings, Norman Reigle, Lavern Reigle, Mable Gilbert, Lucille Reigle; and step-brothers Arthur Bradley and Dale Bradley.
Shirley will be greatly missed by family and friends. She is survived by two daughters, Martha (Bob) Perkins of South Bend, Indiana and Mary Morlan (Ernie Noel) of Marcellus, Michigan; one son, William (Laurie) Morlan of Granger, Indiana; one granddaughter, Holly (Chris) Nilsen of West Lafayette Indiana; as well as nieces, nephews, and numerous cousins from Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois.
Family and friends will gather Monday, July 29, 2024 from 10 a.m. until time of service at 12 Noon at Marcellus United Methodist Church, 197 West Main Street, Marcellus, with Pastor Andy Abrams officiating. Shirley will be laid to rest beside her beloved husband in Bly Cemetery in Marcellus.
The family prefers contributions in memory of Shirley be made to either Marcellus United Methodist Church, 197 West Main Street, Marcellus, Michigan 49067, or the Marcellus Fire Department, 177 East Main Street, Marcellus, Michigan 49067.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Wagner Family Funerals Connelly Chapel, Cassopolis. Please share a memory or a message online: wagnercares.com