Shirley Jost

Shirley Jost (Katheryn Shirley Dick) was born to Abram N. Dick and Tena Martens Dick on November 16, 1943 in Mountain Lake, MN. Shirley grew up in a loving home and accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior.

Shirley graduated from Mountain Lake High School and later Tabor College in Hillsboro, KS. In college she made quick friends and studied education. While at Tabor she met and dated Marvin Dale Jost from Hillsboro, KS.

After graduating in 1966, Shirley moved to Topeka, KS to begin her teaching career. In June of that year, she survived the infamous Topeka tornado which destroyed her apartment and many of her possessions. Dale assisted Shirley in recovering from that experience and thus continued their romance which started at Tabor College. On November 25, 1966, she and Dale were married in Mountain Lake, MN. In 1974, they welcomed twin sons Travis and Bruce into the family.

Shirley’s professional career as a teacher spanned 34 years in the gifted program and 6th grade. Her curiosity made her an outstanding teacher and her creativity inspired many students. She enjoyed finding ways to make the curriculum interesting to her and to her students.

Shirley and Dale were longtime members of Cornerstone Community Church in Topeka, KS. Their Topeka years included participating in church activities, attending basketball games, advancing their professional careers, volunteering, hosting Grandma Camp, and Saturday breakfasts with Robert & Verla Dick. They moved to Hesston, KS in 2014. While living in Hesston they enjoyed meeting new friends, reconnecting with seasoned friends and being closer to their children and grandchildren. In retirement, Shirley enjoyed quilting, crosswords, book club, many Bible studies, ice cream, water exercise, lunch with friends, her church family, volunteering at MCC & MDS, hanging out with her grandkids and attending their events, connecting with extended family and being ‘on the go.’ Rarely lacking energy and enthusiasm, her schedule often left all of us exhausted.

In June of 2022, she traveled with Dale to visit their son Travis in Burundi, Africa. Shirley was thrilled to meet the people of Burundi. Tragedy struck when Dale suffered an accidental fall and eventually died from complications during his recovery. She was deeply saddened and traumatized by losing her husband this way. She cherished the Burundian people for how they cared for her in her time of grief and wished to visit them again.

Shirley “kept going” and maintained a busy life (she was hard to get a hold of) but missed having Dale to “play with her”. In early 2025, it was discovered she had several brain tumors. Life changed quickly as her independence was suddenly replaced with stays at St. Francis Hospital and Salem Home. She greatly enjoyed the staff at both places. Our merciful Lord allowed her to journey this diagnosis without pain and she maintained her personality and contagious spirit. As she awaited treatment, the Lord called her home on March 25, 2025 at 9:48pm. From the initial CT scan she lived 32 days.

A private burial service will be held at French Creek Cemetery near Hillsboro, KS, where her body will rest alongside her husband of 55 years. A visitation will be held on April 6 from 3-5pm at Jost Funeral Home in Hillsboro, KS. A Celebration of Life service will be at Ridgepoint Church in Wichita, KS on April 26, 2025 at 2:00pm. In lieu of flowers memorial gifts can be made to Tabor College, Multiply, or Mennonite Central Committee.

Shirley is survived by her sons Travis and Bruce (Kimberlee), granddaughters Ella and Talia, sister Marion Graumann, sisters-in-law Verla Dick, Loretta Neufeld (Gaylen), Cheryl McJunkin (Larry), Colleen Jost, and many beloved nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents Abe N. and Tena Dick, her husband Dale, her brother Robert Dick and brothers-in-law Don Graumann and James Jost.