Shirley Mae Scholten went to be with her Lord and Savior on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019, surrounded by her loving family. She was known for her kind, faithful and selfless ways.
Shirley was born on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 1929, to William and Gertrude (Verrips) Gorzeman in their 17th Street home in Lynden. She was the second of three children. When Shirley was 3, the family moved to Santa Ana, California, and she grew up on an orange ranch and attended first through 12th grades in Tustin. As a teenager Shirley attended Tustin Junior College of Business for two years while cleaning houses.
Some Lynden friends including William “Bill” Scholten went on a road trip to California and were told to visit the Gorzemans. After many letters were written between Bill and Shirley, she moved back to Lynden in 1949. They were married on April 17, 1950, in First Christian Reformed Church and stayed as faithful members until their passing. In 1955 they purchased the dairy farm where they raised their family. Shirley and Bill won many milk quality awards from Darigold, and were members of the Whatcom Dairymen’s Association. Shirley could name all 65 cows and calves on their farm.
Shirley was an avid reader of her Bible and could have used a library to store all her books. She enjoyed sewing, cooking and gardening. She loved being a farmer’s wife and tenderly cared for her children and all animals. Shirley was the best advocate their handicapped son could have had. She rose to the challenge and was successful.
Shirley was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; son Steven; infant daughter Beverly; brother Eugene Gorzeman; brothers-in-law John Scholten, Evert (Hilda) Scholten, and Bastian (Judy) Scholten; and sister-in-law Gertrude (Herman) Heeringa.
Shirley will be greatly missed by daughter Joan and son-in-law Dale Allen of Lynden; grandchildren Heather (Thomas) Caterson of Bellevue, Rhys (Ming) Platt of Ballard, and Kelleigh (Ryan) Anderson of South Lake Tahoe; great-grandchildren Ava, Ella, Sofia, Lillie and Marlowe; sister Beverly Timmer, sister-in-law Maggie Scholten; and over the years 32 nieces and nephews.
Visitation was held on Monday, Sept. 9, in Gillies Funeral Home. Graveside committal was on Tuesday, Sept. 10, in Monumenta Cemetery, followed by the memorial service in First Christian Reformed Church of Lynden.
Memorials are suggested to Lynden Christian Schools, 417 Lyncs Drive, Lynden, WA 98264.
The family thanks Annette (Shirley’s other daughter), who cared for and loved mom dearly. Also, the tenderness of Dr. Patterson’s office and Whatcom Hospice House was appreciated during this difficult time.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services.
