Shirley Hermsen
Shirley Ann Hermsen, 79, of La Porte, IN passed away Monday, January 2, 2017. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Saturday, January 7 at St. Peter Catholic Church, La Porte, IN, with Reverend Ian Williams officiating. Burial will be at a later date in Waukon.
Shirley was born April 19, 1937 in Waukon to William J. and Cornelia (Ryan) Hancock. November 29, 1958, in Waukon, she married Jude E. Hermsen, who survives.
Shirley was employed by the La Porte YMCA for 37 years, much of that time as Executive Director or Associate Executive Director and in semi-retirement as Development Director and Director of the Horizon Endowment. She developed the first Child Care Resource and Referral Service in La Porte County and was a past chairperson of the La Porte County Educare Committee and a member of several state and local YMCA and Child Care committees.
Shirley leaves loving memories to be cherished by her husband, Jude; two daughters, Paula (Thomas) Lanoue of Blaine, MN and Linda (David) Mahoney of Austin, TX; three sons, Gregory (Nancy) Hermsen of The Woodlands, TX, Bradley (Nanette Tillinghast) Hermsen of Grayslake, IL and Christopher Hermsen of La Porte, IN; eight grandchildren, Michael and Nicholas Lanoue, Jessica and Joshua Hermsen, Matthew and Claire Mahoney, and Bryce and Bennitt Hermsen; four sisters, Elizabeth Ryan, D. Ann (Charles) Byrnes, Jeanne (Gary) Gilbertson and Mary (Kevin) Plotz; three brothers, William (Carol) Hancock, John (Lila) Hancock and James (Lindy) Howes; two sisters-in-law, Gretchen Hermsen Kamps and La Verne Hermsen; two brothers-in-law, James Webers and Richard Kamps; and 35 nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by Rev. Ralph Hermsen, Rachel Hermsen Webers and Jerome Hermsen.
Shirley was a member of St. Peter Catholic Church and the Madonna Circle, a former religious education instructor, Eucharistic minister and founder of an ecumenical teacher training program in Wausau, WI. Shirley wrote many successful state, federal and corporate foundation grant requests on behalf of child care at the YMCA. She was a member of the La Porte Kiwanis Club and chairperson of Kiwanis Children Priority OneOne Committee. She was a past board member of Habitat for Humanity and La Porte Park Foundation, a 2000 Chamber of Commerce Athena award recipient for her work in the La Porte community, and a current Trustee Emeritus for the La Porte County YMCA.
Later in life she became very involved in genealogy, working with her brother, William Hancock, and brother-in-law, Charles Byrnes, to trace her family roots to 1722 in Virginia and their Irish roots back to their families in Ireland.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial contributions be made to La Porte County YMCA, 901 Michigan Ave, La Porte, IN 46350 or to the donor's choice. Please share memories and condolences with the family at www.esslingfuneralhome.com.
