Shirley Ensley

Shirley Irene Ensley, 81 of Centralia, KS died Friday, March 18, 2011 at the Eastridge Care Home in Centralia, KS.

Shirley was born in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania November 12, 1929 to Joseph and Edith Drylie Newman.

She attended grade school and graduated from high school in Braddock, Pennsylvania.  Shirley graduated from St Margaret Memorial Hospital Registered Nursing program in Pittsburg on February 1, 1951.

She worked at the Medical College Virginia Hospital in Richmond, Virginia and at the Magee Hospital in Pittsburg prior to joining the Navy.  She joined the Navy on March 3, 1953 at St Albans, New York on Long Island.  She was discharged from the Navy on January 3, 1955.  She was adamant that she was a Navy Corps nurse and not a WAVE (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service).

Shirley married Leroy Ensley on November 14, 1953. To this marriage 4 children were born, Steve Ensley and his spouse Joy Lee, James Ensley and spouse Becky , Kimberly Ensley and Richard Ensley and spouse Christa, they survive. A daughter, Kimberly died in July 26, 1974.  Shirley is also survived by a sister Patsy Herring of Farmington Pennsylvania, 9 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.

She was the school nurse for Centralia schools while her children attended school there. She worked in several local hospitals including the Seneca, Onaga and Veterans Hospital in Topeka Kansas where she retired in 1990.  Shirley worked in the nursing profession the majority of her life.

A visitation will be Tuesday March 22, 2011 from 9:30 – 10:30 AM at the Hayes-Popkess Funeral Home in Centralia, KS.

Graveside services will follow the visitation on Tuesday at 11:00 am at the Centralia Cemetery.

Memorials will be left to the Eastridge Care Home and may be sent in care of the Hayes-Popkess Funeral Home , (mailing address 814 Castle, Seneca, KS 66538).