Shirley J. Wohlers

ST. PAUL – Shirley J. Wohlers, 73, of St. Paul died Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2008, at the Nebraska Heart Hospital in Lincoln. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in St. Paul. The Rev. Joseph Javorsky will officiate. Burial will be in the Elmwood Cemetery in St. Paul. Visitation will be Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Peters Funeral Home in St. Paul. Mrs. Wohlers was born on Jan. 19, 1935, at St. Paul, the daughter of Malven and Marie (Silk) Jepson. She is survived by her husband, Vance J. Wohlers of St. Paul; one daughter, RaNae Cernik of Kearney; one son and daughter-in-law, Terry and Diane Wohlers of Fort Collins, CO; one brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Jean Jepson of Boelus; and four sisters and two brothers-in-law, Sally and Bob Levene of Grand Island, Pat and Gordie Wieck of Worms, Linda Helzer of Grand Island and Kathy Glause of Kearney. She is also survived by four grandchildren, Michael Cernik and Amanda Cernik, both of Kearney, and Chad Wohlers and his wife, Becca of Fort Collins, CO and Heather Wohlers of Fort Collins, CO. Shirley was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Cushing, where she was raised and received her education. She graduated from Cushing High School in 1953. When she was 16 years old she was afflicted with polio, spending four months in the hospital in Grand Island. She was united in marriage to Vance J. Wohlers on May 1, 1954, at Dannebrog. The couple lived their entire married life in St. Paul. She worked in the dietary department of the Howard County Community Hospital for 15 years and later at the St. Paul Senior Center as a social service coordinator for several years. Shirley suffered from the effects of post polio syndrome the rest of her life. She was a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and the Ladies Church Circle; Al Anon and was active in the Cushing High School Alumni Reunion Committee. She enjoyed baking cinnamon rolls, collecting butterflies and cherished teddies, and taking casino trips. She loved family gatherings and playing family games, especially, playing Wahoo, with her grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; an infant sister, Darlene Jepson; and her son-in-law, Frank Cernik. Memorials are suggested to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church or March of Dimes.