Shirley Sherod

Shirley Marie Sherod
1930 - 2015

Shirley Sherod, 85, went home to be with Jesus, her Lord and Savior, on Saturday, the 12th day of September, 2015.

Born as Shirley Marie Butler to Edwin Harry Butler and Vera Eva McKirgen Butler on the 20th day of March, 1930, in Des Moines, Iowa. She was sister to Verlin Harry Butler and Carolyn June Butler.

At the age of 8, she had given her heart to Jesus. Not too many years after that, she determined there was enough room in her heart for another. When watching out her window at a young boy walking down the street, she would sigh to her mom, “Ain’t he cool?” That boy was a kid named Robert Sherod.

Shirley graduated from East High School and attended the Open Bible College of Ministry.

Shirley married Robert Dean Sherod on the 26th of June, 1949, and they had been married for 56 years, when he passed 10 years ago this October. They were blessed with 5 children, 10 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren.

Called to share the love and joy of Jesus, Shirley became a Sunday school teacher for the teenage class at Bethel Tabernacle (later known as Bethel Open Bible Church and now as Experience Church) when she was not more than a teenager herself, and continued to teach for 40 years. She was a spirit-filled song leader even longer than that. She was a member of the “Girls Trio” at church, until the “girls” were in their mid-forties and decided it might be time to switch the name to “The Ladies Trio.” She took joy in organizing many of the “Women’s Retreat Weekends” for the church.

Shirley had often made the comment, “When I get to heaven, the first face I want to see is Jesus. He’s been with me through it all.”

Shirley is preceded in death by her parents, Edwin and Vera Butler, her husband, Robert, her infant son, Randy, and her brother, Verlin.

She is survived by her sister, Carolyn Butler Pritchard of Pleasantville, her children, Mark Sherod of West Des Moines, Robert Sherod (Ericka) of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Sandra Pieart (John) and Karen Sherod of Des Moines, 10 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held from 5 - 8 pm Thursday, September 17, at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street, Des Moines. Funeral service will be 1 pm Friday, September 18 at Experience Church, 3800 E Douglas Ave, Des Moines, with burial at Resthaven Cemetery. www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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