Shirley Blosser

Shirley M. Blosser was born August 15, 1944, in Denver, Colorado to Fred and Blanche Hesser. She was number 9 of 10 kids. All siblings preceded her in death. As a toddler, her family moved to Council Grove. They were poor - and being number 9 - meant that life didn’t come easily to her as resources were slim. However, she loved her siblings and her many nieces and nephews like they were her own. She missed each of her siblings deeply after their passing.

After high school Shirley moved to Denver to live with her brother Fred while attending and graduating from beauty school. Her connections to Denver would lead to her lifetime love of the Denver Broncos Football team and the mountains.

After returning to Council Grove, she would meet Charlie Blosser, a blue-collar hard-working fella - who was the love of her life. The couple married June 20th, 1967. They would welcome two children: Jeff J. Blosser, Council Grove - the first pride of her entire existence and Mary K. (Blosser) Myers, her second pride. She is survived by Jeff and wife Angela, and daughter Mary K. and husband Chris - all of Council Grove.

She was a mother, wife, business owner, sponsor of swim club trips, cooker of the meals for many of her kids' activities and ensured all the people around her felt like she loved them.

Shirley worked in the home as a beautician for nearly 50 years, a progressive idea for women in her generation. She ran a successful business while also running a warm home for her family. She would eventually be blessed with 8 Grandchildren and 6 Great-Grandchildren. Being a grandmother was likely her best role in life but one that was interrupted too soon by illness.

December 27, 2011 - She would lose her husband and never quite find her place in the world again without him. She was also well known for being the Methodist Church visitor for years and likely many are recipients of the $1 bill she would put in the handwritten cards she mailed out yearly for birthdays. The $1 coming from her own pocket. Shirley continued as the church visitor for several years and enjoyed time with her lunch bunch group and watching her grandkids in their activities. She would also give back to her community by starting the annual Thanksgiving dinner that has continued to feed numerous families over many years.

As Shirley navigated life without Charlie, it would become clear that moving to the Nursing Home was her next step - and did so with an open mind in September of 2018. Shirley spent the last eight years of her life in the nursing home, where she managed to do what she had always done best: make family wherever she went. The many years of taking care of customers and her family translated to her new home. Her roommates and the employees who cared for her became an important part of her world. They were the people she saw every day, shared meals with, laughed with, and relied on. They weren't just her caregivers or roommates; they were her people. She may have moved away from the home she once knew, but she never stopped finding ways to make a home wherever she was. She is survived by many caregivers/staff who loved her deeply over those 8 years.

Shirley was a master of her craft, with more than 50 years of experience as a hairstylist. She had an eye for hair that never retired, and no bad haircut, questionable color, or styling mistake ever escaped her notice. She could spot a hair mishap from a mile away and probably had an opinion about how to fix it. She loved a good slot machine and was never one to pass up the opportunity to pull the handle on a promising one.

Shirley Blosser lived a life defined by hard work, unconditional love, family, friendship, and a little bit of mischief. From humble beginnings as the ninth of ten children to building a successful career as a beautician and raising a family of her own, Shirley made the most of what life gave her. She and her husband, Charlie, may never have been wealthy in money, but they were rich in the things that mattered most: their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and the many friends who became family along the way.

Whether she was making someone feel beautiful in her salon, showing up for her grandchildren, delivering a handwritten birthday card with a dollar tucked inside, visiting church members, or making sure everyone around her had something good to eat, Shirley had a way of making people feel loved. She was known for her laughter, her stories, her generosity, her love of the Denver Broncos, a good slot machine, and loving every Chinese buffet in Kansas.

Above all, Shirley was a woman who gave much of herself to others. Her life was not measured by what she accumulated, but by the people she loved and the memories she left behind. And true to form, she made sure she enjoyed one last breakfast before leaving us. Shirley was never one to go anywhere on an empty stomach. She held true to this right up to her moment of passing on November 5th, at Diversicare of Council Grove.

Memorial service will be held at 11:00am, Friday, November 13, 2026, at the Council Grove United Methodist Church.

 Memorial contributions may be made to Care and Share or Council Grove United Methodist Church. They may be sent in care of Sawyer Funeral Home, PO box 273, Council Grove, KS 66846.