A Celebration of Life Memorial Visitation for 83-year-old Shirley J. (Gilliam) Breach of Atlantic, with family present, will be held Saturday, December 17th, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Roland Funeral Home. Open visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the same day for those unable to attend the evening visitation.
Shirley J. (Gilliam) Breach, 83, of Atlantic, passed Friday, November 4, 2022, at Atlantic Specialty Care.
Shirley was born at home near Menlo, Iowa, on January 5, 1939, to John and Lena (Grote) Gilliam. She was the firstborn of five children. Shirley attended country school in the Stuart and Menlo area, graduating in 1957 from Stuart High School.
After she met the love of her life, Elvin Breach, they were married at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa, on February 16, 1957. She was a devoted wife and mother to her sons. She worked as a clerk at Earl May Seed and Nursery in Atlantic for over 25 years and then worked for the Atlantic Animal Health Center for six and half years. Her life changed in November of 2000 after being diagnosed with breast cancer. She and Elvin then moved into Atlantic in 2010. In retirement, they managed the Cherry Hill Apartments and were active at GracePoint Church in Atlantic.
Shirley belonged to the neighborhood Sew and So Club near Lewis, Iowa, and was active in the Atlantic square-dancing club and Atlantic bowling league, and especially enjoyed playing cards at the local Senior Center and Activity Center in Lewis with her friends.
Survivors include her husband, Elvin; sons, Randy (Diane) Breach of Atlantic and Roger (Denise) Breach of Oakland, Iowa; grandsons, Scott (Michelle) Breach of Urbandale, Iowa, and Dave Breach of Bridgewater, Iowa; two great-grandsons; one great-granddaughter; sisters, Doris Thomas of West Des Moines, Iowa, and Carolyn Miller of Casey, Iowa; sisters-in-law, Evelyn Wheatley of Clive, Iowa, and Evona Billings of Lewis, Iowa; brother-in-law, Everett (Janet) Breach of Norfolk, Nebraska; several nieces, nephews, and cousins; and other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her father, John (1971); mother, Lena (1999); brother, Bill Gilliam (1999); sister, Dorene Hubbard (2011); niece, Roxanne Miller (1983); and brothers-in-law, Lester Wheatley, Duane “Tuff” Billings, Dean Hubbard and Jim Thomas.
Memorials may be made to the family for later designation.
Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic, Iowa, is caring for Shirley’s family and her arrangements. Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com
