SHIRLEY M. THOMAS , 83, of Cherokee, Iowa passed away Monday, August 20, 2018 at Unity Point St. Luke's Hospital in Sioux City, Iowa.

Funeral services will be held Friday, August 24 ^th , at 10:30 a.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa   Rev. Cris Decious will officiate.  Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery in Cherokee.  There will be a family prayer service at 10:15 a.m. at the funeral home on Friday.

Visitation will be on Thursday, August 23 ^rd ,  from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the funeral home with the family present from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m.  On line condolences may be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Shirley was born May 26, 1935 at Sioux City, Iowa to Alfred Bertram Cole and Virginia (Doud) Cole. She grew up in the Sioux City area until she was 14 and moved to Cherokee when she was 19. She graduated from Aurelia High School in 1953. She was married to Ray L. Thomas on October 18, 1953 at Jackson, Minnesota. She was a member of St.Paul's United Methodist Church.  She had worked in the Dietary Dept, at Cherokee Mental Health Institute for 25 years and as a Nurse's Aide at Sioux Valley Memorial Hospital for 20 years.  Her great love was for her pet dogs, Pepe, B J, Missy and Lilly.  She loved being with her family and her grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Ray on May 5, 2006, a son Corwin Thomas in 2008, several brothers, John Cole, Loren Cole, Alfred Cole Jr., Jerry Cole, Jimmy Cole, Clark Cole, Arthur Cole; several sisters, Sharon Kahl, Patricia Wingfield, Beverly Cole, Jeanette Cole and Jane Cole.

She is survived by one daughter, Ginny (Mike) Bunt of Cleghorn, Iowa; daughter-in-law Sandy Thomas of Ruthven, Iowa; 8 grandchildren;  Kerry (Mark) Hurd, Rebecca (Chris) Simonsen, Rachael (Lon) Etnier, Candace (Brian) Jo, Brad Bunt, Justin Thomas, Stacie (Todd) Huckfelt, Cory Mark Thomas; great grandchildren, Ashley, Ryan & Jacob Hurd, Sophia & Miles Simonsen, Charlee, Otto  & Owen Etnier, Tommy, Isaiah & Landon Jo, Henry & George Thomas, Hailey, Alyssa & T J Huckfelt, Paige, Kyan & Beaudyn Thomas, one sister Joyce (Cole) Chapman of Cherokee, Iowa