Shirley Malpede

Living by these words, Shirley chose to "Live Simply, Love Generously, Care Deeply, Speak Kindly and Leave the Rest in God's Hands". We have been honored to have Shirley and be loved by her. We celebrate all that she was, her abundance of faith, all of her talents, the sparkle in her eyes that matched her smile and warm embraces. Shirley looked for the good in others and her beauty radiated from her heart. She spoke the truth in a gentle and straightforward way to guide us. She showed a generosity of spirit, thoughtfulness, and immense affection which only grew over the years. May these gifts be her legacy, as are her children, grandchildren and great grandchild.

She met the Love of her Life and was proposed to while kneeling at church after mass. Devoted wife to Salvatore; they shared a lifetime of love for each other. During challenging times, she cared for her parents, his parents, Sal and their children. She held her husband, each of her daughters, sons-in-law, grandsons, their wives, and great grandchild close to her heart.

Shirley and her husband traveled to Italy, England, France, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and Hawaii. Family trips included Washington, D.C., Williamsburg, Lookout Mountain, St. Louis, Wisconsin and more.

Her business career started at the Federal Reserve Bank, then at Southern Pacific as a Secretary. Trusted because of her integrity, she held positions of Office Manager for a plastics firm, and later served as the Legal Assistant for three attorneys at Sears Corporate Headquarters.

Shirley was a Chicago Times Quiz Kid and a Chicago Daily News Spelling Bee competitor. She attended Steinmetz High School and Wright College.

A sampling of her talents shows how she used them for others. Shirley's voice rang clear in soprano tones in the school choir, and singing Silent Night in Polish for her family at Christmas time. Her tapestry bell pulls and teddy bears under her Distinctive Design label, were shown at the Arlington Heights Holiday Show two years running. A highly-skilled seamstress, she crafted her friend's bridesmaid dresses, her daughters' prom dresses, and custom draperies. A keen artisan of crochet and knitting, Shirley volunteered to create outfits for hospital newborns, helmet liners for our American soldiers during Desert Storm, and scarves shawls, and hand knitted blankets for her family and friends. She was a supreme and cook who made delicious meals and treasured memories with her family around the dinner table. Her gift was making others feel most special by carefully crafting handwritten notes that shared her genuine tenderness in words that touched any heart.

Shirley cherished her husband and "La Famiglia" with Love and Faith; devoted wife of Salvatore, wonderful mother of Cynthia (Bernard Surtz), Catherine (Steven Long), and Christine (Gregory Reiff), proud grandmother of Michael (Meera) Reiff and Paul (Jenny) Reiff, great-grandmother of Mackenzie Reiff, loving daughter of Cecelia and Albert Ayeski and dear sister of Robert (Dorothy) Ayeski, caring aunt of Kenneth (Lisa), Kevin Ayeski, and Jeffrey Ayeski, David (Kathy) Krajecki and Karen (John Hubben), and dear friend to the Beta Fideles Group. Shirley was happiest making others happy. During life's adversities, Shirley took action, focused on optimism, and showed dignity and courage. She has been a good and faithful servant, and we shall miss her deeply - her name has been written on a golden stair - and we look forward to the promise of seeing her in Heaven.

Shirley leaves the most important part of her with us: Faith, Love, Kindness and a Giving Heart.