Shirley Lou Wilkinson

Shirley Lou Wilkinson was born to Roy and Winifred (Pelham) Crook on July 6, 1931 on a farm between Filley and Crab Orchard, Nebraska. She had a brother (Vernon) who passed at age 16 and a sister (Naomi Pope) who passed in 2019 at the age of 94. Shirley attended Filley schools until her parents purchased a Grocery Store in Lewiston, NE. in 1945. Shirley graduated from LHS in 1948 where she met the love of her life, Martin Wilkinson. Martin and Shirley farmed in the Lewiston and Crab Orchard area. Shirley was a busy farm wife, raising the kids, tending a large garden and canning, raising broiler chickens, milking the cows and she was the “Avon Lady” and helping Martin with field work until Martin’s death at age 39 in 1967. Shirley was just 36 when Martin died. At this time Shirley made the decision to move to Lincoln, Ne. Shirley took additional schooling at the Lincoln School of Commerce and held several secretarial jobs until she and her son Jim built and opened a restaurant in Waverly, NE. Originally called Shirley’s they later changed the name to SportsPage. About 3 years after opening they obtained a Liquor License for the Restaurant, the first in Waverly since 1895. The day the license came in the mail, Shirley looked at it and said.. “Grandma Grace is rolling over in her grave. Her granddaughter has a Liquor License, with her name on it.” Grandma Grace was a Quaker. Shirley was active with the Methodist Church in Lewiston and later in Waverly.

After Shirley left the restaurant, she became partners-in-life with the second love of her life, Melvin Starlin. Mel had grown up with Martin and his brothers. After Mel’s wife Marilyn passed away, Mel and Shirley enjoyed 18 years of camping, fishing and traveling. They spent several summers in Yellowstone Park working in the concessions and maintenance and then winters in Texas. After Mel’s passing in 2018, Shirley lived with her son Donald in Waverly until her health took her to the Waverly Care Center where her roommate was her daughter Jane. Jane and Shirley have enjoyed the last couple of years… “taking care of each other”. Shirley was a member of The Red Hats Society and served on the Nebraska Mental Health Advisory Committee.

She was preceded in death by her husband Martin Wilkinson, her partner-in-life Mel Starlin, parents Roy and Winnie, brother Vernon, sister and brother-in-law Namoi and Robert (Bob) Pope, brothers and sisters-in-laws Howard/Helen Wilkinson and David/June Wilkinson, and Jim’s Wife Kathy.

Left to cherish her memory are her children, Jim, Jane, Linda and Don, brother and sister-in-law Larry/Corrine Wilkinson and many nieces, nephews, grandchildren, relatives and a host of friends.

Graveside services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 12, 2024 at the Crab Orchard, Nebraska Cemetery.

A reception with lunch will be held after the service with family greeting friends at the Crab Orchard Community Building.

Memorials may go to the Crab Orchard Cemetery and Community Building Fund. Send to: Kenneth Trout, 60906 Road 722, Crab Orchard, Nebraska