Shirley J. McKague

1935 - 2020

Shirley J. McKague
1935 ~ 2020
Shirley passed away of natural causes on May 20, 2020 and is now with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She was born December 4, 1935 in Nampa, Idaho to Lee and Blanche Woolard. She was raised in Nampa and graduated from Nampa High school in 1953. She married Larry D. Graves a few months later. They were blessed with 3 children, Rhonda (Graves) Tilden, Van Graves, and Dan Graves. They later divorced. In the years following, a single mother of 3, she worked as a stenographer for the Idaho Public Utilities Commission and a legal secretary for Carey Nixon, Esquire in Boise. In 1970, she married Paul W. McKague. He had 3 boys from a previous marriage, Randy, Rick and Robert. Paul and Shirley would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on October 19, 2020. Shirley was a very accomplished woman. She became part owner and bookkeeper of Paul's Service station in Meridian. She was a conservative columnist for the Valley Times in Meridian from 1980-1982. In 1986, she accepted a job as a committee secretary for the Idaho State House of Representatives Transportation Committee where she would work until 1997. Later that year, she successfully ran for a seat in the Idaho State House of Representatives where she served until 2007 when she was chosen to replace retiring Senator Gerry Sweet in the Idaho State Senate. She served in the Senate until her retirement in 2012. Shirley was lovingly known for her deep conservative values, her faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, her love for her family, America and our constitution. She was a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother (Grammy). She will truly be missed by her family and friends.
She leaves behind her husband of nearly 50 years, Paul McKague, her children Rhonda(Chris) Tilden, Van (Sandy) Graves, Dan (Wendy) Graves, Randy McKague, Rick (Tawnya) McKague and Robert McKague, her sister, Dorothy Breshears, numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, a sister Patsy, a brother, Robert Woolard.
A celebration of Shirley's life will be held Wednesday, June 3, 2020 at Cloverdale Funeral Home in Boise. The viewing will be from 1:00pm-2:00pm. The service will begin at 2:00pm. Pastor Dean Herring, South Valley Baptist Church in Kuna, will officiate. Because of Covid-19 restrictions, please join the family for a drive-up celebration of life. A graveside service will be held at 11am on Thursday, June 4, 2020 at the Meridian Cemetery.