Shirley Anne Bushong

Born August 26, 1928, in Flagstaff, passed November 3, 2025, in Mesa, Arizona.

Born to Parley and Irene Hakes Willis, with brothers, Parley Gail, Ted and Chad and sister Patricia.  Raised in Flagstaff till 1942, Irene moved herself and children to Goodyear, AZ to work in a WWII factory.

Shirley graduated from Tolleson HS in 1945 and married Wilbur George Bushong in Holbrook, 1947.  They had four children, Selma, Darwin, David and Dennis.

Soon after getting married, Wilbur began a 30-year career with Tal-wi-wi Ranch.  Shirley cooked for the work crew in Alpine while raising the children.  Summers were spent in Alpine with the cattle and winters in Litchfield Park.

In the mid 1950s, the northern ranch was sold and Wilbur and Shirley were based at Tal-wi-wi in Litchfield.  Wilbur worked through the ranks from cattle caretaker to General Manager, Shirley was the devoted housewife taking care of the home and family.  She also served as an election worker and on vaccination days at the school.  She also raised chickens/eggs as a side business.

In 1979, they relocated to their farm near Buckeye.  Shirley was called for numerous positions in the Relief Society. Upon Wilbur’s death in 2005, Shirley relocated to Gilbert and enjoyed family activities and vacations as her grandchildren developed into adulthood and great grandchildren arrived and grew.

In 2019 increasing mobility issues required her to move into assisted living at Citrus Manor in Mesa.  The staff enjoyed her stories and treated her like family.

She is survived by her brother Chad, sister Pat Tyrell, daughter Selma (Robert Ellison), Darwin (Wanda), David (Linda) and Dennis (Rhonda), 13 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 15 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 8840 N. 61st Avenue at 9:30 am, preceded by visitation at 9:00 am. Burial at Resthaven Park Cemetery in Glendale at 11:00am.

Arrangements by Bunker’s Garden Chapel, www.bunkerfuneral.com. Should this obituary appear anywhere but bunkerfuneral.com, please check our website for accurate details and service information.