Shirley Mae Melby, age 91, of Appleton, passed away on Aug. 2, 2020 at the Appleton Retirement Community in Appleton. She was born on Nov. 7, 1928 at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton, the only child of the late Robert and Emma Krause. She was baptized at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Appleton on Dec. 9, 1928 and was confirmed on March 30, 1942 at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Appleton. Shirley graduated from Appleton High School in 1946 and after graduation she attended Oshkosh Business College. On Sept. 3, 1949 she married H. Richard “Dick” Melby at St. Matthew Lutheran Church. Shirley and Dick were blessed with 3 children, Laurie, Barbara and Mark.
She was a longtime member of St. Matthew Ev. Lutheran Church, where she served in many ways. She taught Sunday School, sang in the church choir, and as the church’s first female usher. She was a Dorcas SCC member and a member of the Office Couple’s Club.
She enjoyed to travel with Dick to winter in Florida and especially loved Door County, Wisconsin.
She will be sadly missed by one daughter Barbara (Paul) Bowman of Sumter, South Carolina and her son Mark (Jane) Melby of Neshkoro, Wisconsin, son-in-law Marvin Ahlborn of Appleton, grandchildren Michael (Nicole) Bowman, Amanda (Jason) Bormann, Brynne (Matt) Peterson, Stephanie (Vipul) Chaudhary, David Melby, and Selena Melby, great-grandchildren, Geneva, Josephine, Cecilia, Georgia and Marigold, as well as several cousins, nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband Richard “Dick” Melby, one daughter Laurie Ahlborn.
Due to current circumstances, there was a Private Memorial Service on Monday, Aug. 10, 2020 at 11 a.m. at St. Matthew Ev. Lutheran Church of Appleton. The service was broadcast live by the church.
You can view the service livecast by going to the church website at www.stmatthewlutheran.com and clicking on the Facebook icon in the upper right corner.
Interment was at Appleton Highland Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers and other expressions of sympathy, a memorial fund will be established. Donations may be sent to the family or to Shirley Melby Memorial Fund, C/O Wichmann Funeral Home, 537 N. Superior Street, Appleton, WI, 54911. Donations will be forwarded by the family to St. Matthew Ev. Lutheran Church.
