Amy R. Shirley

Amy Ricks Shirley, 77, of Idaho Falls, passed peacefully on Thursday, November 7, 2019 at Life Care Center of Idaho Falls, surrounded by her children. She lived a humble, generous and joyous life to the very end.

The fourth of eight children, she was born on October 23, 1942, in Rexburg, Idaho, to Aaron Orson and Miriam Scholes Ricks. She grew up in Sugar City and graduated from Sugar-Salem High School where she participated in home economics and dance.

She is the beloved mother of seven children: Margo (Rhett) Nealis, Rodney (Laurie) Shirley, Kevin (Jacqueline) Shirley, Brian (Torhild) Shirley, Michael (Hilary) Shirley, Leah (John) Kimbro and Laura (Travis) Grange. They are who they are because she was who she was. Amy’s first love was her family.

Her many talents—which she shared freely—included sewing, crocheting, knitting, cooking, letter writing and music (especially leading the music at church).

She inherited a green thumb and a love for all flowers and plants, especially wildflowers, from her mother. She loved camping, picking asparagus and huckleberries, eating garden fresh vegetables and crocheting Easter chickens and Christmas stockings for thousands of children over the years. She was most well-known for her Christlike love and her ability to share it with others.

Amy was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She loved the Lord and served diligently. Her testimony was evident in the way she lived her daily life. Amy is survived by her seven children, 21 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.

She is also survived by her sister Nelda (Wayne) McClellan, David (Karen) Ricks, Steven (Suzanne) Ricks, Rex (Margo) Ricks and Charles (KaraLee) Ricsk.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Sharon and brother, Max. She will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Her family would like to extend their gratitude to her many caregivers over the years who blessed her life daily with their kindness. She loved them. Her final advice to her family was, “Carry on!”

Funeral Services will be held on Monday, November 11, 2019, at 11 a.m. in the Shelley 3rd Ward LDS Chapel located at 513 S. Park Avenue, Shelley, Idaho. A viewing will be held on Monday from 9:30 to 10:40 a.m. just prior to the funeral service at the church. Interment will be in the Teton-Newdale Cemetery at 2:30 p.m under the direction of Nalder Funeral Home.