Shirley Ann Griffith
Shirley Ann Griffith, 65, died November 12, 2015 at Via Christi St. Frances Hospital in Wichita, KS.
She was born August 26, 1950 at Greenwood, AR, the daughter of Boyd H. and Ola Marie (King) Holifield. She graduated from Liberal High School in 1968 and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing at St. Mary’s of the Plains College in Dodge City, KS.
She was a registered nurse for Southwest Medical Center in Liberal for 29 years, retiring in 2003. She worked primarily in the Emergency Room and was the nurse manager of the first dialysis unit at the hospital. Shirley had battled nephritis of the kidneys since she was in her 20’s. She had a dialysis fistula surgically placed in her arm before she took her nursing board exam later that same day. Two of the three kidney transplants were successful for a number of years. The strength and positive attitude in which she lived her life was amazing. She was very passionate about the care she gave her patients and she seemed to be everyone’s nurse, especially for her family.
She was a member of the Trinity Faith Church where she was Chairman of the Mission Committee. She was Preceptor Gamma Omicron of Beta Sigma Phi. She joined Beta Sigma Phi in 1972 and had earned the Torchbearer Degree which is the highest degree a member can attain. Many of Shirley’s closest friends are in her sorority chapter and are fittingly nicknamed the “Go Girls”.
On May 27, 1967, she married Jerry Ray Griffith in Liberal, KS. He survives.
Other survivors include:
Son – Bryan Griffith of Liberal, KS
Brother – Larry Holifield and wife Faith of Liberal, KS
3 Sisters – Tawana Earnest of Garden City, KS
Pat Winter and husband Marvin of Garden City, KS
Marla Cannaley and husband John of Liberal, KS
Step-Mother- Lillian Holifield of Liberal, KS
Step-Brothers- Bob Armstrong and Clifford Armstrong, both of Liberal, KS
She was preceded in death by her Mother, Marie Holifield; Father, Boyd Holifield; Brother-in-law, Leroy Earnest; Mother-in-law, Betty Jo McGuire and Step Father-in-law, R. E. Griffith.
Funeral Service will be 2:00 p.m. Monday, November 16, 2015 at Trinity Faith Church, 1750 S. Kansas Ave in Liberal with Pastor Terry Engler presiding. Burial will follow at Liberal Cemetery.
Visitation will be 1 -5 p.m. Sunday at Brenneman Funeral Home with the family present to greet friends from 2 – 3 p.m. Sunday.
Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Faith Church in care of Brenneman Funeral Home, 1212 W. 2nd Liberal, KS 67901.
