Shirley Edna Schmidt

On the first day of spring 1936, a beautiful soul was born. Shirley Edna Jenkins was born to Mary & Earle Jenkins in Old Town, Maine. Shirley grew up in a two-story farmhouse on the edge of the Maine woods.
The only girl, and oldest child of 6, Shirley was an amazing person from the very beginning. Shirley loved and cared for her brothers (Charlie, Ritchie, Bobby, Donny & John) like a mother, kind & caring from the start. Sadly, at the age of 9 she lost her Daddy, Grampy & Uncle in a canoeing accident during a hunting trip. And now at this young age she was faced with helping her mother raise her brothers.
Never complaining, she always talked fondly about her childhood. She loved her life on the farm. She was a tree climber and woodland explorer. Her Mom taught her to cook at an early age. She made her first pie at the age of 10. To help with the family's needs she also cleaned houses around the neighborhood for a dollar and helped her mother and grandmother make butter to sell in the village market. During the harsh Maine winters Shirley enjoyed skiing, tobogganing and ice skating on the frozen pond near their home. A pond they all referred to as "The Pug Hole". She learned to swim in the Stillwater River and spent many warm summer days up to camp on the shores of Pushaw Lake. As a young woman Shirley worked at the Oronoka Restaurant and in the payroll department of the Orono Shoe store.
Shirley loved to dance, and that's how she met Jim. One night at a local dance hall a tall gangly Airman First Class and his buddy introduced themselves to Shirley and her friend. Three months later Jim got news of his Air Force transfer and asked Shirley to marry him. On April 19th, 1958, Shirley and Jim were married in the minister's house. With very little money to start with, they paid $5.00 for the service and bought each other wedding bands at the secondhand store. Jim's transfer took him to Newbury, England, a small town 60 miles outside of London. After a few months Shirley would join him there. Having never lived anywhere but the farm, and having never flown, she was terrified. For three and half years Shirley & Jim lived in the little town of Newbury in an upstairs apartment, where they shared a bathroom with other tenants. Shirley loved exploring Newbury while Jim spent his days on the base. It was during her stay across the pond Shirley learned to knit and enjoy paint by numbers. Shirley and Jim spent many days exploring London as well, visiting the museums, Big Ben and the tower of London. When Jim's time with the Air Force was near an end the two traveled back to Idaho. Jim finished his service out at Mountain Home Air Force Base. When Jim's time was finished in the Air Force, he and Shirley found a cute little house to rent in Boise. In 1963 Shirley and Jim had their first child, their daughter Marie. In 1965 Shirley and Jim bought their first (and only) home on 23rd Street. In 1969 they had a son, Jimmy. Over the years Shirley and Jim's little family traveled back to Maine every other summer. They bought a little camper and took lots of trips all over the pacific northwest. Shirley was an avid gardener at home. She canned everything imaginable and remained an amazing cook and baker. So much so, that at a church bake sale one year Jim outbid everyone else to buy one of Shirley's pies for $50.00. With Jim working at the Post Office now for several years Shirley became part of the Women's Auxiliary. Through this she went on to have several of her recipes published in the Post Office cookbook.
Over the years Marie and Jimmy grew up, found mates of their own and had children. Those children, Heather and Andrew, Oschan, Skyler and Camden filled Shirley's life with great joy. Shirley loved her children and grandchildren more than anything. She was extremely involved in their lives while they grew up. Her motto was "Grandma's the name, spoiling's the game," and she excelled at it!
In 1996 Shirley lost her husband Jim to a heart attack. A devastating blow to Shirley after 38 years of marriage. It was a loss she never really recovered from. She did her best to move on.
Even as she aged, Shirley continued to travel and spend as much time with her family as possible. Every holiday she was always asked to make her famous pies. None could compare.
Time is a funny thing. It seems to go quicker as each year passes. Shirley used to ask, "How'd I get to be an old woman?" Shirley did live to a "Ripe ol' Age" as the saying goes. And even at the very end she continued to be the kindest, most loving and generous woman I have ever known. She was loved by us all, and we will miss her tremendously, forever.
A graveside service will be held, 2:00 pm, Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at Dry Creek Cemetery, 9600 Hill Rd., Boise.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the COPD Foundation in Shirley's name at the following link: https://www.copdfoundation.org/Ways-to-Give/Donate/Tribute-Giving.aspx
Once on the page you'll want to click on the menu item in the middle of the page titled, "Give in honor or in memory of a loved one" to be able to enter Shirley's first and last names in the appropriate boxes. Thank you so much!"