Shirley E. Graper

Shirley E. Graper, 91, of Wood River died September 9, 2019 at the Central Nebraska Veterans Home in Kearney. Memorial services will be 9:30 AM Thursday, September 19, 2019 at the Central Nebraska Veterans Home Chapel with pastor Michael Koenig officiating. Inurnment will be in the Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Grand Island.

Shirley was born on January 18, 1928 at Wood River to Harry and Julia (Mills) Visser. She grew up in Wood River, graduating from Wood River High School in 1945. She was united in marriage to Donald Graper on June 1, 1946 in Wood River. Over the span of the 73 years the two were blessed with each other they raised three children and lived in Gibbon and Wood River. Shirley held many different jobs including working at the grocery store, but the one she enjoyed the most was being a paraprofessional for the Wood River School District.

She loved to bake and do crafts. She was involved in teaching catechism classes and even lead the choir for a time at St. Marys Catholic Church in Wood River.

Those left to cherish her memory are her husband, Donald Graper; son, Larry Graper; daughters, Deanna (Marvin) Serr of Kearney and Donna Myers of Grand Island; nine grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her mother, father, stepfather and her half-sister.

Memorials are suggested to the family for later designation.