Shirley Morganfield, age 89, of Manhattan, died October 21, 2023.
Shirley was born in Lyons, Kansas in 1933. The family moved to Junction City, Kansas when she was very young. After graduating from Junction City High School in 1951, she attended both Kansas State University and The University of Colorado in Boulder. Her time in Boulder included more time learning how to snow ski than studying, but also sparked a lifelong dream to live in the Rocky Mountains.
In 1956, she began her career traveling the world when she accepted a position with Continental Airlines as a flight attendant. These were the glory days of commercial flight and she loved her adventures that took her to Hong Kong, Tokyo, Europe, Hawaii and everywhere in between. She spent time based out of Denver, Miami, El Paso and ultimately Los Angeles. She developed lifelong relationships during her time flying and has remained good friends with many of her “flying days” friends/roommates over the years, however this group has gotten smaller and smaller as the years go by.
Her son Kevin was born in 1963, while she was based in Los Angeles. Within the next year she moved back to Kansas and worked at various jobs over the years including real estate and as a civilian employee at Fort Riley. Shirley was also committed to going back to school and received her Master’s Degree in 1975 from Kansas State University with a degree in Early Childhood Development. She moved to the Black Hills of South Dakota in 1976 where she worked as a counselor at the Box Elder Job Corps Center in Nemo, South Dakota until her retirement in 1994.
Retirement was spent in Colorado, living in Highlands Ranch, Littleton and ultimately Estes Park, Colorado where she built her dream home in the Rocky Mountains. Health issues prompted another move to Gold Canyon, Arizona where she enjoyed the winters in Arizona and summers in Colorado, before moving back to Kansas to be closer to family. Her family has many great memories of spending the holidays in Estes Park, CO and Gold Canyon, AZ over the years.
Shirley was preceded in death by her mother, Ruby (Rathbun) Morganfield, father, William “Bud” Morganfield, and brother Kenneth.
Shirley is survived by her son Kevin (Lucy) of Manhattan, Ks; four grandchildren; Benjamin (Gabby) of Rapid City, SD, Bryce (Emily) of Independence, MO; Jace of Manhattan, KS and Kellie of Manhattan, KS; and 4 great grandchildren, Pierson, Regan, Ariella and Loey.
Private services will be held at a later date.
The Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502, is assisting the family with the arrangements.