Valley County, IDGenWeb Project | |
Shirley Jo Friedly, 87, formerly of Donnelly and recent resident of Eagle Point, Ore., went to be with her heavenly father on Aug. 15, 2011, at the Rogue Valley Medical Center in Medford, Ore.
Services were held at Conger-Morris Chapel in Central Point, Oregon, on Friday, Aug. 19, 2011, with the burial following at Eagle Point V.A. National Cemetery.
Jo was born Aug. 12, 1924, in Severy, Kans., to Opal and Benjamin Mitchell. After purchasing The Humboldt Standard, the family moved to Humboldt, Neb., where Jo grew up learning the business of running a newspaper.
While a junior at Humboldt High School, Wayne Friedly, on the last day of his senior year, passed her a note in study hall asking her for a date, the beginning of what grew to be a lifelong love. They were married for 66 years.
After she graduated from Humboldt High in 1942, the same year Wayne joined the Navy, Jo enrolled in the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Wayne returned home on leave from and they married on Oct. 31, 1944, in Humboldt.
Jo continued her education and graduated in 1947 with a B.A. in education, majoring in home economics. After the war Wayne enrolled in the University of Nebraska and graduated in 1949.
Wayne taught in Crete for one year and they moved back to Humboldt in 1950, where they joined Jo’s parents in running The Humboldt Standard. When Jo’s father decided to retire, Jo and Wayne bought the newspaper.
The many hats Jo wore included bookkeeper, skillful editor and writer. Eventually, they sold the newspaper and moved to Casper, Wyo., where Jo worked in the business office at Casper College, a job she thoroughly enjoyed.
In 1986, they moved to Donnelly, where they built a home on Lake Cascade for their own retirement. They were active members of the local Donnelly Bible Church.
Jo touched many lives in many ways through kindness and generosity. A compassionate person, she was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Recognition Award, given to her by the Rev. Thomas R. Penry III, the American Legion Department Chaplain of Idaho.
She unexpectedly received the award in 2003 after crocheting more than 1,000 red, white, and blue crosses that were included in letters of condolences to families of fallen soldiers.
Jo made thousands of crosses throughout the years, giving them away to everyone, even perfect strangers. Today, through her daughter Sue Ann, that legacy continues.
Jo is survived by her husband, Wayne; a son, Jay (wife Sandy) of Mountain Home; a daughter, Sue Ann Arnold (late husband, Charlie) of Eagle Point, Ore.; a sister, Gwen of Kroese of Waverly, Neb.; grandson Scott Kelsay (wife Kari), great grandsons Tanner and Colton of Central Point, Ore.; grandson Steve Kelsay (wife Heather), great-grandsons Cooper and Austin of Eagle Point, Ore.; granddaughter Amanda Balderrama (husband A.J.), great-grandchildren Ava and Ayson of Meridian; and grandson Mike Covey of Mountain Home.
The family requests that memorial contributions be made in Jo’s name to Donnelly Bible Church, P.O. Box 167, Donnelly, ID 83615
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