Shirley A. Smith-Ross went home to be with her Lord and Savior on October 13, 2024. A memorial to celebrate Shirley’s life will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, November 2, in the Valley Events Center at the Boundary County Fairgrounds, with a gravesite service for immediate family members following at Grandview Cemetery.
Shirley was born in Redding, California, to Berwin Hall and Dorothy Schuller on August 5, 1942, and later moved to Bonners Ferry. She was a wife, mother and friend who touched the lives of many. Throughout her life, she found joy in baking, fishing, camping and gardening. Shirley was also passionate about oil painting, capturing nature with her brushstrokes.
Shirley married Tom Smith on July 3, 1960. They resided on their farm in Bonners Ferry until Tom’s passing on June 5, 1998. Years later, she remarried Don Ross on May 1, 2004, and they made their home in Spirit Lake until Don’s passing on July 1, 2013.
Shirley was living at The Royal Plaza during her final days and was surrounded by caring staff, friends and children.
In addition to her role as a homemaker, Shirley dedicated herself to working as a special needs aide, where she made a significant impact on the lives of the people she cared for.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Berwin Hall and Dorothy Shuller, and her husbands, Tom Smith and Don Ross.
She is survived by her children; Keith, Todd (Shellie), Shane (Stef), Travis, Jason (Rebekah), Chad (Tara), Scott (Becki) Jim Ross (Ellen), Jay Ross (Tami) and Monica Ross-Kalar (Gerald) and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.