Shirley Romich McKelvey

Shirley Romich McKelvey passed away on June 22, 2025, from old age. She lived almost all of her 101+ years in Creston.
She was born on January 19, 1924, to Ben and Katherine Romich. After graduating from Creston High School in 1941, she attended one year at Cedar Crest College in Pennsylvania. Shirley would have liked to have continued her college education but came home due to financial constraints and the beginning of WW2. In fact, she was at college when she learned that Pearl Harbor had been bombed where her boyfriend, Gene McKelvey, was stationed.
Even though he was wounded at Iwo Jima, Gene survived WW2 and he and Shirley were married in a private ceremony at the home of her parents on November 25, 1945. They spent 59 years together living on their farm in Creston and raising two children. She worked at Stebbins National Bank for over 25 years and retired in time to help take care of her two grandsons. In addition to working at the Bank, Shirley was the Treasurer for the Village of Creston for several years and belonged to Creston Presbyterian Church for a long time in Creston and then in Jackson.
Shirley was an excellent cook, always making her special fudge for any occasion. Her cut-out Christmas and Turkey Cookies were the best. Her main interests, other than her grandsons, were antiques and family history. She loved working on her ancestry projects and made several reports for family members regarding different aspects of the past so that we wouldn't forget. Although a classic worrier, she enjoyed her life to the fullest. She definitely enjoyed eating out "anywhere but my kitchen" as her church friends can attest to. She and Gene were able to travel after her retirement and had very memorable trips to Hawaii, the Canadian Rockies and Iwo Jima among others.
Shirley is survived by her daughter, Kris (Dan) Swartz, her son Mike (Barbara) McKelvey, grandsons Greg (Cassie) Swartz and Ryan Swartz. She has 3 great grandchildren, Tessa, Elsie and Everett Swartz and her extended Family includes Carrie, Jacob and Abbey Evans. Shirley was preceded by her husband, Gene, who died in 2004 and her brother, Ben Romich, Jr. who died in 2013.
Services will be Thursday, June 26th at 12:00 noon at Murray Funeral Home in Creston with Pastor Mike Van Arsdale officiating. Burial will be in Creston Maple Mound Cemetery. Friends may call from 11:00 a.m. until time of services on Thursday. Instead of flowers, donations may be made to the Wayne County Humane Society, Creston Presbyterian Church or Ohio's Hospice LifeCare.
Her family wishes to extend special thanks to all who helped Shirley remain in her own home until the week before her 101st birthday including Ryan Swartz, Fran Maibach, Barry Romich, Lynn Romich Hershberger, Fannie Miller and LifeCare Hospice nurses, aides and social workers. We would also like to thank all of the Burbank Parke staff members who provided faithful care for her remaining months.
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