Shirley Dwight Cleland, 85, of Seneca, died Saturday, January 3, 2015, at the Burn Unit at Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas; from complications after an accidental fire at his home on January 2nd.

Shirley was born November 6, 1929, in Batavia, Illinois to Charles and Frances Sipes Clelland. During his youth, he helped on the family farm and assisted at his father’s gas station. Shirley graduated from Grand Junction High School in Grand Junction, Iowa in 1947. He entered the U.S. Navy in 1950 and served on the USS Bairoko CVE 115; he was honorably discharged in 1954. After serving his country, he returned to Beaver, Iowa; he later moved to Osage Beach, Missouri, where his parents operated the Cleland Cottages. He attended College in Maryville, Missouri and Northwestern Iowa University in Cedar Falls, Iowa. In 1964, he was in Topeka with his brother, who was recovering from surgery, at the VA hospital in Leavenworth, Kansas; and there he met his future wife, Marie Gudenkauf. The couple was married on March 4, 1966 and celebrated 48 years of marriage.

Shirley began working for Goodyear August of 1965; and retired December of 1990. In 1990, the couple relocated their home to Seneca; due to Highway 75 being widened.

Shirley enjoyed woodworking and gardening, he loved to give away the fruits of his labor. He also relished spending time with his family and host of friends, especially all of the veterans he knew while in the service, with the Legion and the V.F.W. He was a member of the American Legion Post #21 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #7458 all of Seneca.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles in 1968 and Frances in 1996; a sister, Alice Hartman in 2009; his in-laws, Joe and Rose Gudenkauf; and brother-in-laws, Les Hartman, Bob Gudenkauf and Harold Mitchell.

Shirley is survived by his wife Marie Cleland of Seneca; a son, Charles Cleland of Seneca; a daughter, Shirley “Cis” (John) Schraad of Seneca; grandsons, Brandon(Shianne) Miller, Brandon (Valerie)Butler, Jeremy (Friend Jackie) Carson, Charlie (Friend Hillary) Smith, Josh Schraad, Luke Schraad; great grandchildren, Alexis, Paxton and Beau; two sisters, Frances Dobson Gowrie of Iowa and Dorothy Greer of Anderson, South Carolina; and two brothers, Dan Cleland and Chuck Cleland both of Buffalo, Missouri.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday, January 6th from 6-8 PM at the Lauer Funeral Home. A Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday at 11AM at the Lauer Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery in Seneca.

Memorials may be left in Shirley’s memory to the Seneca Fire Department.