Shirley Bublitz

Shirley (Glewen) Bublitz, age 91, passed away September 22, 2025.

Shirley Glewen was born on the family farm to Elmer and Grace Glewen on November 24, 1933. She attended the one-roomed Burbank Elementary School on Amity Road and graduated from Brandon High School. She attended Central College in Pella, Iowa, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education. Her first teaching job was directing high school choral music in Kiel, Wisconsin.

Taking a summer Spanish course at University of Wisconsin, she met a handsome young man, William Bublitz, from Milwaukee. They were married on September 6,1958 at Alto Reformed Church in Alto, Wisconsin. Their first home was near Fort Belvoir, Virginia, where Shirley worked at the National Education Association headquarters in Washington D.C. before giving birth to their first child, Nancy, in 1959. Shortly thereafter, they returned to Wisconsin, where the births of Lori in 1961 and Julie in 1964 completed the family.

In 1965, the family relocated to Oregon, where Shirley taught piano to her daughters and many other students over the years. Second only to being a mother, the job she most treasured in her life was her work at Holt International Adoption Agency, Eugene, Oregon in the 1970’s-80’s.

She moved to California to be close to her two youngest daughters. She loved the sunny California climate and lived there several decades, until 2016, when she returned to Wisconsin.

Shirley’s favorite place in the world was the marsh on the edge of the family farm. She enjoyed watching and feeding wild birds. She loved sweet gum trees, gladiolas and fuchsias. She delighted in the music of George Gershwin, Nat King Cole and Claude Debussy. She loved everything in Washington DC: the cherry blossoms, the Smithsonian, and especially the National Gallery of Art.

What Shirley loved most, far above anything else, was her children and their children. It was her greatest joy and a great blessing to all. She will always live on in their hearts.

Shirley is survived by her brother, Arlyn (Lois) Glewen of Grand Rapids, daughters Nancy (Bruce) Donham and Julie (Richard) Culbertson, son-in-law Michael Curatola, granddaughters Lauren Curatola, Grace Donham, Hannah Donham and Kim Culbertson, grandson Sam Culbertson, nieces Marissa Glewen and Christina Glewen, nephews Philip Glewen and Joel Glewen, one great-granddaughter and two great-grandsons

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 4, 2025 at 11 a.m. at Alto Reformed Church in the town of Alto with Randy McDaniel officiating. Burial will follow at Alto Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Saturday at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of service.

A special thank you to the staff at Ripon Senior Living for the wonderful care given to Shirley.