Shirley Ann Shields Messerlie Reser,93, passed away peacefully on Aug. 17, 2012, in Ludington, Mich., near her long time summer home in Pentwater. Shirley Ann was born to Ewing and Rachel Williams Shields in Brownsville, Texas on Oct. 12, 1918, but moved shortly thereafter to Greenfield, where she lived for nearly 64 years.
She graduated from Greenfield High School in 1936, and then attended DePauw University where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority. During World War II, she worked at the US Army Chaplain School in Cambridge, Mass.
In 1945, she married Gordon P. Messerlie at Bradley Methodist Church in Greenfield. She was an active church member and belonged to many local clubs. She was also an avid swimmer and was an American Red Cross Lifesaving Instructor at Greenfield’s Riley Pool.
Shirley Ann adapted easily to life in West Lafayette, and was active in Red Cross work. She also served on the house board for Purdue Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta. She and Ted enjoyed watching Purdue football and basketball games, traveling widely, and continued to spend their summers in Pentwater, Mich.
She is survived by her husband, of 28 years, Edward (Ted) Reser of West Lafayette; her sons, Douglas (Theo) Messerlie of Atlanta and David (Carol) Messerlie of Pointe Verde Beach, Fla.; and Ted’s children, Robin (Roy) Martens of Evanston, Ill., Dan (Ulli) Reser of San Rafael, CA, Tave (Lesley) Reser of Chicago; and Ted’s grandchildren, Caroline Burgess, Roy Burgess, Jared Reser, Will Reser, Isabella Jaffe, Emma Jaffe and Lucy Reser.
Shirley Ann was predeceased by her brothers, Ewing Shields III and John Shields; and her first husband Gordon Messerlie.
Visitation is from 5-7 p.m. on Friday evening Aug. 24, at Soller Baker West Lafayette Chapel at 1184 Sagamore Parkway in West Lafayette, Ind. A 10:30 a.m. memorial service will be held at Soller-Baker West Lafayette Chapel on Saturday, Aug. 25, with a 2:30 p.m. graveside service at Park Cemetery in Greenfield.
We welcome friends and family to come celebrate her life at Carnegie’s in downtown Greenfield following the interment.
In lieu of flowers, charitable donations may be made to Bradley United Methodist Church at 210 West Main Street, Greenfield, IN. 46140-2097
