Shirley Jean Holbrook

   Shirley Jean Holbrook, 74 years old, passed away peacefully at home on May 1, 2023. She was born July 22, 1948, to Bud and Velma McDowell in Valentine, Nebraska. In 1959, her family moved to Idaho where Shirley graduated from Meridian High School in 1966.
   Shirley married the love of her life, Ron Holbrook, on June 26, 1971. Together they had two children; son, Todd and daughter, Toni. Ron and Shirley were fortunate enough to raise their children on the Holbrook Ranch in Ola, Idaho.
   Shirley was a 4-H leader teaching sewing and cooking when she lived in Ola. She was very supportive of 4-H and loved watching her kids and grandkids show their animals. Shirley also acted as the Payette River Cattlemen’s Association secretary for several years.
   Shirley was a lady of many talents. She was an artist, creating beautiful oil paintings, then venturing into tole paintings. Her grandkids gave her the nickname “Grandma Sawdust” for her ability to cut things out of wood and paint them into masterpieces. She also had a talent for sewing. She made many outfits for herself and her family through the years. Shirley had a talent of making the BEST homemade bread, scones, and strawberry jam. Shirley loved to play games, especially scrabble. She was very good at it. Her grandkids recently introduced her to “Cards Against Humanity”. She got a kick out of this game, she would giggle and turn bright red at some of the answers that came about. She also had a love of fishing. In particular, she loved fishing on the reservoir in High Valley. She caught a 24” rainbow trout that she insisted on keeping in her freezer for many years, tormenting the kids each time they opened the door!
   Lastly, Shirley was a very hard worker. She had many jobs in her life; she worked at the Ola Cemetery, in the café at the Livestock Auction, as an EMT, a Gem County dispatcher, a sexual abuse officer, a probation officer, she was able to work with her brother, Dick and her son, Todd, she was an escrow officer and worked for the prosecuting attorney, Cy Rood. Her favorite “job” was branding cows every spring on her trusty horses, Joe, and Q.
   Shirley was an amazing wife, mother, daughter, sister, and grandmother. She will be greatly missed and forever in our hearts. She used to say, “the only gift I want is my family to be all together”. She leaves behind her loving husband of 52 years, Ron; son, Todd, and daughter Toni (Caleb); her grandchildren, Christopher, Gabe, Maddie, Cable, Kiley, and Cord; and her brother, Dick (Jan). 
   She was preceded in death by her parents Bud and Velma McDowell; parents-in-law, Sumner and Georgia Holbrook; nephew, James McDowell and brother-in-law, Tim Madden.
   We invite you to join us in a Celebration of Life at the Ola Community Hall on May 26th, 2023, at 1:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers, we kindly ask donations to be made in Shirley’s honor to the Ola Community or Women’s & Children’s Alliance (wcaboise.org). 
 

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