Shirley Grathwohl

Shirley A. Grathwohl, 86, of Ames, passed away on Sunday, November 23, 2025, at Maggie's House at Northridge Village in Ames. Funeral services for Shirley Grathwohl will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at First United Methodist Church, 516 Kellogg Avenue, in Ames. Visitation will be held from 4:00 - 6:00 PM on Monday, December 1, 2025, at First United Methodist Church in Ames. Burial will take place at Oakwood Cemetery in Austin, Minnesota, at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, December 3, 2025. Shirley, the daughter of Merlin and Maxine (Rudd) Beadle was born on July 29, 1939, in Mason City, Iowa. The young family soon moved to Austin, Minnesota, where Shirley was raised. She graduated from Austin High School in 1957. Shirley was united in marriage to Robert Grathwohl at St. John's Lutheran Church in Austin on December 19, 1959. To this union, children Dawn, Tracy and Kristy were born. Shirley was employed at Meredith Corporation in Clarion, Iowa. When the family moved to Ames, Iowa, she took a position in the business office at the Memorial Union, Iowa State University. After moving to Webster City, Iowa, she began doing books for the family's rental bus...[more]

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ss. Bob and Shirley moved back to Ames in 1995 where they have remained. Shirley loved making pies with the ladies at First United Methodist Church. She spent her retired years playing golf and cards, she especially loved playing bridge. She enjoyed traveling with family and friends to many great places all over the United States and even overseas. The family spent a lot of time camping over the years. Bob and Shirley took their motorhome to Florence, Arizona, for over twenty years during the winter months. Anyone that ever played any type of game with Shirley knew she was a competitive player. If you played with her often, she was known to keep a tally and display it for all to see. Besides her love for pie making, cards, travel, camping, swim class, she was an avid Cyclone Fan. Prior to 2020, she would attend as many football and men's basketball games as she could. After that, she would watch the Cyclones on TV if possible. Shirley will be lovingly remembered by her husband, Bob Grathwohl, of Ames; her children, Dawn Hammitt of River Falls, Wisconsin. Tracy (Michael) Gensler of La Porte City, Iowa, and Kristy (Troy) Buchman of Gilbert; grandchildren, Joseph (Kristine) Jordet, Mitchell (Savannah) Buchman, Cole Buchman, Jennifer (Brandon) Crowley, and Tony (Mattie Chapman) Gensler; great-grandchildren Rylan, Ialey, Westyn, Soren and, Hayden Jordet, Tara, Jake, Levi and Kala Crowley, Freya and Rowan Buchman and Lily Gensler; sisters Diana (Bob) Novotny and Gloria Jendersee; sister-in-law Daryl Beadle; along with numerous nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends. Shirley is preceded in death by her parents, Maxine DeBoer and Merlin Beadle; step-father Sidney DeBoer; and her brothers Tebbe DeBoer and Brian Beadle; son-in-law Tom Hammitt. Shirley's family suggests that memorial contributions may be left in her memory to First United Methodist Church in Ames, and sent to their attention, c/o Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care, 414 Lincoln Way, Ames. Iowa, 50010.