Shirley Ann (Gram) Lager 90, of Clarion, passed away on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at Iowa Specialty Hospital in Clarion, IA.
Mass of Christian Burial for Johnnie and Shirley Lager will be held at 10:30 AM on Friday, January 23, 2026, at St. John’s Catholic Church, 608 2nd Avenue Northeast in Clarion with Father Jerry Blake officiating. Burial will be in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery in Clarion.
Visitation for Johnnie and Shirley Lager will be held from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM on Thursday, January 22, 2026 at Ewing Funeral Home, 1801 Central Avenue East in Clarion. Rosary will begin at 3:30 PM prior to visitation.
Shirley Ann (Gram) Lager was born on June 26, 1935, in Rowan, Iowa, to Bert Gram and Edna (Francis) Gram. Shirley was a true Iowa girl at heart. She loved being out on the farm with her dad, working with cattle, horses, chickens, and tending the garden.
Shirley attended Rowan Public Schools, graduating from high school in 1953. During her high school years, she led a very active life, participating in drama club, basketball, and the school newspaper. She was also a member of the Glee Club, where she performed in both group and solo numbers and served as an officer for several years.
In addition, Shirley was an accomplished pianist and played for many events both in and out of school. As a teenager, her dad gifted her a piano of her own, which deepened her love for music. She often played for her husband John, and his favorite song to hear her play was “12th Street Rag.”
Apart from school, Shirley was deeply involved in 4-H for nine years, where she especially enjoyed projects in food and nutrition, sewing, and home furnishings. Her mother loved helping her with baking and sewing, sharing tips and tricks, while her dad enjoyed working alongside her on home furnishings projects. Shirley’s dad especially loved when she baked, but decided it took too long to stir by hand, so he went out and bought her a new mixer. Shirley loved being creative and trying new recipes, and those formative years helped shape the wonderful wife and mother she became.
Shirley was a tomboy at heart. She could bake and cook some of the best meals you’d ever have, yet she could also run a farm as if it were the easiest thing in the world. From a young age, she learned many of her kitchen skills from her mother. While she was a natural in the kitchen, Shirley truly loved being outdoors and living the life of a farm girl. She helped her dad whenever she could including running tractors and doing whatever needed to be done. She was so good with animals that she was known for being able to gently put a chicken to sleep in her arms and lay it down to rest. Shirley was also the one who taught her dad how to operate new equipment on the farm. She was smart, capable, and handy in every way.
In 1954, Shirley married her high school sweetheart, John O. Lager Jr., at St. John’s Catholic Church in Clarion. The newlyweds began married life in Latimer, where they started their family, later moving to Belmond. They eventually settled on a farm east of Rowan, where John began his lifelong farming career and Shirley raised their children, helped with livestock, and developed a deep love of gardening and canning. In 1963, they relocated to a farm four miles south of Clarion, which they called home for many years. After 50 years of farming, they retired and moved into Clarion, where they continued to enjoy life together.
John and Shirley were blessed with six daughters. As her daughters grew, Shirley became involved in 4-H once again, working alongside them as they learned baking, sewing, and home furnishings. She loved passing her knowledge on to her girls. Shirley later served as a leader for the Lincoln Lassies 4-H Club and was honored with a 20-Year Service Award in 2004. In 2012, she was inducted into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame. Her love of 4-H extended to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, whom she joyfully helped with many projects over the years.
Shirley was a woman you wanted in your life. She was an amazing mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She loved her family deeply and always made sure they felt that love. Shirley loved teaching her girls everything she could, both on the farm and in the kitchen. She passed on her love of gardening, canning, raising livestock, and so much more.
While her children and husband, John, brought her great joy, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren brought her an immeasurable amount of happiness. Shirley spoiled them in every way she could—baking for them, doing sewing projects, writing letters, coloring, working on puzzles, attending their events to show her support, and always enjoying a good movie with them.
As her family grew and spread across different places, Shirley’s love for them never faded. No matter how much time had passed, you were always greeted by her unforgettable smile and warm, comforting hug.
Shirley also devoted 12 years helping her youngest daughter, Marcella (Lager) Brodersen, operate the 4-H Food Stand. In addition to 4-H, Shirley was a member of St. Cecilia’s Circle, Catholic Daughters of America, St. John’s Sewing Circle, and the Altar Society at St. John. She entered many projects in the open class at the Wright County Junior District Fair and was an active member of Ceres Circle and Wright County Cowbells. After retiring from farming, Shirley and John also worked for Lifetouch for seven years.
Shirley is survived by her six daughters: Melody Lager (fiancé Steve Aldrich) of Dows, Iowa; Margaret (Rick) Schmidtke of Walker, Minnesota; Mary Lager of Clarion, Iowa; Maurita (Gene) Gourley of Webster City, Iowa; Milissa (Don) Katschke of Clarion, Iowa; and Marcella (Bill) Brodersen of Pleasant Hill, Iowa; and her beloved nephew Joe (Karlene) Spitler.
She is also survived by her 12 grandchildren: Aaron (Erin) Harris; Kevin (Cindy) and Jeff (Melissa) Schmidtke; Nicole Fletcher; Rachel (Nate Radke) Fletcher; Jackie Zeiger; Julie (Kenneth Hyland) Bell; Joshua (Megan) Zeiger; Gabrielle (fiancé Royce Nessa) and Chandler (fiancé Jordan Jensen) Gourley; and Kelsie and Chloe Brodersen; along with 23 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
Shirley was preceded in death by her husband of 71 years, John O. Lager; her parents; her sister Marian Aldrich; her brothers Raymond Gram (Gertie and Nadine) and Robert Gram (Dorothy); grandchildren Ashley, Ona, and Coulter Gourley; her special niece Annie (Brooks) Just; nieces Elaine Gram, Monica Durham; nephews Dennis Aldrich, Jerry Gram and Michael Durham; great-nephew and niece Dusty and Afton Spitler; and great-grandchild Wyatt Schmidtke.