Shirley Gilbert

Shirley Wangsgard Gilbert passed from this life to the next on December 24, 2021. She was 85 years old and a resident of the Canyons Retirement Community in Twin Falls, Idaho. Shirley was born to Harold William Wangsgard and Agnes Jean Berlin on November 12, 1936, in Huntsville, Utah. After graduating from Utah State University, she taught elementary school before marrying Gayle Glenn Gilbert of Arcadia, Utah in 1966. Shirley loved being a farm wife and mother and became an expert homemaker, preserving fruits and vegetables; butchering and processing meat; and making yogurt, cheese and butter. She also helped her husband on the farm, operating farm equipment and irrigating crops. Shirley loved good music. She learned to play the piano at a young age and later added the cello, organ and accordion to her repertoire. She taught piano lessons and played for numerous musical performances and church meetings. She enjoyed playing duets with her sister, Barbara, and with her own children and grandchildren. Many happy hours were spent with her family gathered around the piano singing while she played for them. Following the teachings and example of Jesus Christ was the focus of Shirley’s life. She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In addition to fulfilling a church mission in Montana as a young woman, she served enthusiastically in various other church callings throughout her life. She had a special love for children and an extraordinary ability to help them feel God’s love. Shirley cared little for material wealth and instead referred to her children and grandchildren as her “treasures.” Until age and poor health intervened, Shirley and Gayle did everything together and went everywhere together. They were good examples of what the New Testament says about marriage: “neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord” (1 Cor. 11:11). Shirley was a people person, whose goal was to make everyone feel loved: she loved to mingle, make new friends, and keep track of old ones. She wrote many letters, made many visits, and attended many gatherings over the years to maintain contact with the people she cared about and to help any who might need a friend. She was preceded in death by her husband Gayle, two brothers (Harold and Brooke), a sister (Barbara), a son (Garrett Paul), and a grandson (Jacob). She is survived by her brother Bill Wangsgard of Huntsville, Utah, her brother-in-law Jack Cox, also of Huntsville, daughter Laurel (Mike) Wilder of Moscow, Idaho, son Nathanael (Shanda) of Cochran, Georgia, son Jarom (Candise) of Idaho Falls, son Jefferson (Laurie) of West Jordan, Utah, daughter Estella (David) Elliott of Buhl, and 18 grandchildren. A funeral service will be held Friday Dec 31 at 11:00 A.M. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meeting house at 1134 North College Rd West, Twin Falls, Idaho. The family thanks the staff and hospice workers at Canyons Retirement Community for their kind and thoughtful care of Shirley during her residence there. To view the funeral service go to https://youtu.be/9ly_PB_skjo