Irma Shelley

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

the rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again, may God hold you

in the palm of His hand.

(An Irish Blessing)

Irma Lee (Ready) Shelley

Irma was born on November 29, 1925, in Vernon County, Missouri. Her parents were Wesley Milford Ready and Margie Lee Ready. She has an older sister, Virgina Quiring Hannah.

As a young girl she lived on a farm in Metz, Missouri. She enjoyed being outdoors and doing chores and activities with her Dad. She loved animals, especially horses and dogs. She had her own pony, Shorty, that she rode every day and had lots of fun stories to tell.

In 1933 her family moved to Wichita, Kansas and she lived there until moving to California in 2011. Irma attended Meridian Elementary, Allison Junior High, and North High School all in Wichita; she attended Friends University for 2 years and then transferred to Kansas State University where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Development graduating in January of 1948. 

As a college student at Friends, Irma also had a part time job wrapping gifts at Innes (Macy's) Department Store in downtown Wichita. She also had a job as an office clerk at the Vornado Fan and Air Conditioning Company.

After graduating from K-State, Irma taught Second Grade at Roosevelt Elementary School in Chanute, Kansas for three and a half years. She then moved back to Wichita and taught Kindergarten for 12 years at Stanley Elementary School. After her own daughters were older, Irma taught part time and did substitute teaching.

On June 20, 1954, Irma married V Dale Shelley. They met at church and were a very happy couple for 58 years. They travelled together, did numerous activities together and were a testament to companionship, shared love, and commitment to one another. 

Her husband Dale passed away in February of 2013. Irma has two daughters, Nancy Auch and Amy Jordan. Irma was very involved in their education and daily activities. Irma was a PTA room mother, a Brownie and Girl Scout leader, a parent driver for field trips, and a supporter of all the girl's concerts, programs, piano recitals, etc. all throughout their school years. Even beyond: Irma and Dale attended Parents Weekend at K-State every year for Nancy and came to her Fashion Shows on campus in the Home Ec Department showcasing some of Nancy's clothing designs. Amy is a Music teacher and Irma and Dale attended several Christmas or Spring programs in California to see Amy conduct and watch her students perform.

Irma also taught her girls proper etiquette and manners like how to set the dinner table with the silverware in the correct spot and the glass and napkin; saying Please and Thank You; sitting still with hands in your lap. Irma also led by example in keeping a clean house, grocery shopping, meal planning, assigning the girls household chores, and decorating throughout the year. Irma loved to decorate throughout the house with seasonal themes and always had a centerpiece on the dining room table. Irma also thought it was important for her girls to be well-rounded giving them piano lessons, art lessons and taking them to see plays at the Children's Theatre. 

Throughout life, trips to a museum, botanical garden, the library, or symphony concert were common in raising her children. When the girls were young she would have birthday parties with all of their friends. Irma would plan games and activities, have a color theme for decorations, have food and party favors and bake the birthday cake. These parties were a very special highlight and still remembered today.

As the girls grew up, the family would take a summer vacation every summer. Before children, Irma and Dale would travel to Colorado as it was one of their favorite places to visit. Many trips were taken to Estes Park, CO, staying in their favorite cabin, and the family would continue to vacation at many times throughout the years. Behind the cabin was a fresh, very cold stream you could hear bubbling. Hiking, horseback riding, and fishing were activities Irma and the family enjoyed while in Colorado. Later in life, Irma and Dale travelled to many countries in Europe, took several cruises, including Alaska and Panama, traveled to Hawaii, River Boat Cruises and participated in several bus trips to many US States. Irma has been to almost all 50 states.

Things Irma loved:

Irma loved flowers. She tended to the flower beds around her home. She grew Iris, Tulips, Cannas, Marigolds and several other varieties of flowers making the yard look colorful and welcoming.

Irma loved college sports - football and basketball. She followed all the regional teams, knew the coach of each team, how long they had been a coach there, and the standings of each team. March Madness basketball brackets were always fun for Irma. Even where she lived in Anaheim she enjoyed participating in the March Madness bracket every year.

Irma loved the Arts. She and Dale were season ticket holders to the Wichita Symphony, The Art Museum, The Botanical Gardens, and Summer Music Theatre to name a few. They enjoyed attending the Crown Uptown dinner theater and strolling through Cow Town.

Irma loved and collected clowns. She had a variety of styles, colors, art mediums, and all sizes. She especially liked her collection of glass blown clowns. Friends and family members have gifted her clowns from travels all over the world. A clown performer, Emmett Kelley, was special to Irma. He was born in Sedan, Kansas and she followed his life story over the years. He lived in Kansas City and eventually joined the Ringling Brothers Circus. Clowns gave Irma joy and happiness.

Irma loved to host parties. She loved to have themed parties like Kansas Day or Valentine's Day. She entertained with style and perfect details. All the decorations, table settings, and games went along with the theme of the party. Irma and Dale's friends always enjoyed coming to the house for one of these parties. There were also card game get-togethers to play Bridge or Canasta. Lots of laughter and competition rang throughout the house on these nights.

Irma loved caring for people. As her parents and her in-laws began to age, Irma became their care giver. She took them to doctor appointments, ran errands with them or for them, took them home cooked meals, and put them first. She also looked after aunts, uncles, extended family members, cousins, neighbors, and friends. She was very giving to many people.

Irma loved God. She had a very strong faith and prayer life. She taught Sunday School for many decades. She began a Card Ministry. She wrote personal notes and notes of encouragement to members of the church and personal friends. Sending cards to others gave Irma a way to bless them and care for others throughout her life. She prayed often for her children, her relatives, and her friends. Her family always knew they were prayed for by Irma.

Irma loved children. She was a "kids" Mom and Aunt. She had a deep love and understanding of children and bonded easily and quickly with small children. She would always smile and wave at children out in public and they would always wave back. Nieces and nephews loved to come visit Aunt Irma and play games, make cookies or ice cream and play outdoors on the swing set at Aunt Irma's house.

Irma loved poems, jokes, and reading. Everywhere around the house there were scraps of paper with a poem, a joke, or a book title written on it. She would often email or send in the mail a poem, a joke, or a comic to family and friends. Her favorite kind of book to read was biographical. She was interested in the life of famous or historical people. She liked learning the facts and background of those people and would often share with friends and family who she was reading about.

Irma loved communicating with her friends and family on her computer through email. She learned to use the computer in her early 80's and was still very active through her 99 years. She read the Wichita Eagle Newspaper on her computer. She knew how to look things up and research on her computer.

In Irma's later years, God brought to Irma, loving, generous, kind, talented, dependable, and fun Caregivers who each loved the Lord and Scripture as Irma. Each lady became part of our family. Their families, living in CA, as well as still living in the Philippines, became a part of our lives too from a distance. We treasure our friendship and love together.

Irma's life was a life well lived. She has touched many people. We are grateful and blessed to have had 99 years with such a special and intelligent woman. We love you and thank you for everything you taught us. We are honored to call you Mom.

-Amy Jordan and Nancy Auch

Matthew 19:14:

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven".

A memorial has been established with:

Botanica Wichita
701 N. Amidon St.
Wichita, KS 67203