Shirley Elizabeth Oliver, 86, of Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, passed away on January 4, 2025, at Accura HealthCare in Stanton, Iowa.
Born February 28, 1938, in Omaha to Louis and Nina (Calabretto) Kriegler, Shirley began her career in retail at Given’s IGA Grocery Store. She married Albert “Ben” Oliver on December 24, 1960, and they made their home in Fort Calhoun, where they raised their three children.
Throughout her life, Shirley worked as a grocery checker at various stores, including Pioneer Foods in Fort Calhoun. She was known for her exceptional cooking and baking skills, generously sharing homemade soups and holiday cookies with family and friends. She enjoyed roller skating, bowling, and ceramics in her younger years, and later found joy in fishing trips to Minnesota, family gatherings, and casino outings with Ben.
After Ben’s passing in 1999, Shirley became a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. She remained independent until age 85, when she relocated to Stanton, Iowa.
Survivors include her children: Chan (Annie) Oliver, Corey (Nancy) Oliver, and Dominee (Stan) Morris; six grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; brother Ralph (Sandy) Givens; sister-in-law Margaret Kriegler; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband Ben; brothers Donald Kriegler and John Givens; and parents Nina Knoblauch and Louis Kriegler.
Private family services will be held. Memorials suggested to The Nebraska Commission for the Blind, Fort Calhoun Fire and Rescue, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, or the Ronald McDonald House.
People Listed in this Obituary:
Family Relations:
- Albert “Ben” Oliver – Husband (deceased)
- Louis Kriegler – Father (deceased)
- Nina (Calabretto) Kriegler/Knoblauch – Mother (deceased)
- Dominic and Rosa Calabretto – Great-grandparents (deceased)
Children:
- Chan Oliver (spouse: Annie) – Son
- Corey Oliver (spouse: Nancy) – Son
- Dominee Morris (spouse: Stan) – Daughter
Grandchildren:
- Nathan Oliver (spouse: Courtney)
- Conner Oliver
- Chance Oliver
- Wylie Oliver
- Jamie Bohanan (spouse: Lucy)
- Lindsey Davis (spouse: Kiel)
Siblings:
- Donald Kriegler – Brother (deceased)
- John Givens – Brother (deceased)
- Ralph Givens (spouse: Sandy) – Brother
- Margaret Kriegler – Sister-in-law (noted as best friend)
Friends specifically mentioned:
Ed and Monica Smith