Shirley Ann Baldwin

Shirley Ann (Ausmus) Baldwin

October 31, 1936 – January 10, 2025

We are saddened to announce the passing of my mother, Shirley, remembered by many for her smile and fabulous laugh. Shirley Ann (Ausmus) Baldwin passed peacefully from her earthly body on January 10, 2025 at the age of 88 with Jill and William, at her side.

Shirley was born at the family farmhouse in rural Atlanta, Missouri in 1936 to R. Elgan and A. Glendola (Crow) Ausmus, who were farmers, co-owned the local meat locker, and lifelong residents of the Macon County area. She attended Atlanta schools for first grade through fifth grades, until the family moved further from town, attending sixth and seventh grade at Moody School, a one room schoolhouse. She returned to the Atlanta public school in eighth grade until graduation in 1954. Shirley attended one year at Missouri State Teachers College in Kirksville where she met Carl R. Baldwin in accounting class. She started working at Producers Creamery as an accounting clerk in 1955 until she left to work at the Kirksville Regional Center in the 1970s. She went back and forth between the two companies due to layoffs until landing at the Regional Center in the late 1980s until her retirement in 2005.

Shirley participated in many local and state organizations throughout the years. She was active in Jaycee Wives and as a Rotary Ann with Carl. She has held memberships in the Kirksville Garden Club, Eastern Star, Quota Club, Sojourners Club, United Methodist Women, and First United Methodist Church Blueberries. She was an active member of the First United Methodist Church, PEO Chapter IG, and joined the Kirksville 1000 Hills Rotary Club after Carl passed in 2014. Shirley loved sharing these times with friends and participating in activities and events.

Shirley loved to travel. From a young age, she went on family trips to Colorado to see relatives. Shirley and Carl loved to RV camp taking trips with their daughter, Jill, across many states throughout the years. They RVed to Alaska with her brother, Larry Ausmus, on a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Shirley and Carl spent many years visiting the “Kirksville crew” in Arizona during the winter and after Carl passed, Shirley continued to travel with Charles and Cathy Baldwin to spend the winters in Mesa. She enjoyed travels and time spent with many friends and family members.

Shirley and Carl were married June 20, 1959 at the First United Methodist Church in Kirksville. They welcomed Jill Andrea on June 21, 1969, for their 10th anniversary. They enjoyed 55 years of marriage before Carl passed in 2014 after a brief battle with leukemia.

After Carl passed, Shirley stayed on the farm east of Kirksville for a few years before moving to town to enjoy the “city life.” And in 2023, Shirley moved to an independent living community in St. Peters, Missouri to be close to Jill and William. (She loved the food!) 

Shirley will be fondly remembered for her smile, love of laughter, her sweet personality, and “ability to catch up where you left off years ago” when seeing friends.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, Elgan and Glendola (Crow) Ausmus; husband, Carl R. Baldwin; sister-in-law, Sarah Catherine (Cathy) Baldwin; one nephew, one great nephew, two great nieces, and four unnamed miscarried children.

Shirley is survived by her daughter, Jill A. (Baldwin) Rogers and husband, William H. Rogers; brother, Larry E. Ausmus; brother-in-law, Charles L. (Lois) Baldwin; sister-in-law, Anne E. (Keith) Jerome; sister-in-law, Nancy L. (Bill) Maack; three nephews, three nieces, seven great-nephews, two great-nieces, one step-granddaughter, and one step-great-granddaughter. Shirley is also survived by her first cousin and friend, Janet Snyder of Kirksville; first cousin, Jerry Ausmus of Maryland; and several more relatives.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, January 18 from 12pm – 2pm at Playle Rimer Millard Funeral Home with Service starting at 2:00pm. Burial will be graveside on Tuesday, January 21 at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery Jacksonville, Missouri.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to The Rotary International Foundation, PEO charitable foundation, or the Adair County Humane Society (Shirley loved cats)

Funeral arrangement in the care of Playle-Rimer-Millard Family Funeral Chapel.