Shirley Gruber

Shirley Gruber

December 2, 1920 - March 23, 2024

Shirley Elizabeth (Stinebaugh) Winkler Gruber passed away peacefully and surrounded by family on Saturday, March 23, 2024 at the age of 103. The middle of nine children, Shirley was born to Edwin and Delilah Elizabeth Stinebaugh on a homestead outside Jordan Montana on December 2, 1920. Shirley graduated from Montana State Normal School (teachers college) in Billings (now Montana State) where she recently attended a reunion and was honored as its oldest surviving graduate. Smart and hard-working, Shirley taught in a one-room schoolhouse in Livingston Valley, MT where she met Jack Gruber, the oldest brother of two of her pupils. World War II intervened and Jack relocated to CA to build airplanes for the war effort and join the Navy. Shirley married Emil Winkler, a medic who died on Omaha Beach, 1944. Son Richard was born in 1943 of that marriage. Soon after, Jack and Shirley renewed their relationship and were married June 3, 1946. Jack adopted Richard as his own son who eventually became the older brother of six siblings. Shirley and Jack welcomed Gerald, Kenneth, Bonnie and Thomas into their family as they lived in North Hollywood, CA, in a house Jack built using leftover materials from the War effort. Shirley and Jack moved to Alamogordo, New Mexico when Jack was transferred by his employer Lockheed Missiles and Space in 1955. There, Elizabeth and Charles were born. Shirley and Jack next moved to Santa Maria, CA in 1960 in the transfer to nearby Vandenberg AFB. They built a new house on Richard Street and it was home for the rest of their lives. Shirley's Catholic faith was highly important to her and, as a convert, she shared its gifts with her children, providing a Catholic education to her children when possible. Shirley enjoyed her membership in the local chapter of the Catholic Daughters, Court #1079 and at one time served as its regent. Shirley worked in real estate in the mid 1960's; taught as a substitute teacher; and was employed by the Santa Barbara County Office of Social Services for several years. Shirley enjoyed oil painting, composing letters to the editors of local periodicals, novel reading (especially Louis L'Amour and Zane Grey), card playing (spades), volunteering with Catholic Charities and tending to her garden.

Shirley is survived by children Kenneth (Kim); Bonita Thompson Grahek (Michael); Thomas (Debra); Elizabeth Ruben (Richard); Charles (Jennifer); thirteen grandchildren; twenty great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. Shirley was predeceased by her husband John (Jack); two great-grandchildren Ben Jr. and Camilla Rose; sons Richard and Gerald (Jackie), who passed away March 11, 2024, just twelve days prior to Shirley. The family plans to celebrate Shirley and Jerry's lives in a joint Memorial Mass at 10:00 a.m., Monday, June 10 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 298 S. Thompson Road, Nipomo.