Shirley Marie (Leitner) Organ, 81, of Atwood, departed this life on July
23, 2021 at Hays Medical Center in Hays, KS surrounded by her children.
Shirley was born to Carl A. and Theresia E. (Kogl) Leitner on August
22, 1939, at home on S. 6th Street, in Atwood, KS. She attended Atwood
Grade School & graduated from Notre Dame Academy, in Omaha, NE with
the class of 1957. She received her Registered Nursing Degree from St.
Anthony’s School of Nursing in Hays, KS, in 1961. Over the years, she
worked at various hospitals and volunteered at the Red Cross for several
years. Her last employment was Administrator of Rawlins County Health
Department & Home Health Agency until 2003. Shirley retired early to
care for her mother, for 3 ½ years, before her death in 2006.
Shirley was united in marriage to Daryl Lee Organ on June 2, 1962, at
Sacred Heart Catholic Church, in Atwood. They lived in Hays, KS until
Daryl’s’ graduation from Fort Hays State University in 1965. They moved
to Kansas City, KS and eventually purchased their first home in
Independence, MO where they resided until 1980, at which time they moved
back to Atwood, KS.
To this union four children were born: Michele Ann Krankenberg (Terry),
of Springhill, KS; Nicole Marie Watkins (Bill), of Lenexa, KS; Danielle
Kay Prochazka (Marcus), of Greeley, CO and Daren Lee Organ (Dian), of
Colby, KS. After the death of her husband in December 1981, Shirley was
busy raising her children and juggling all of their activities
throughout the years. She was blessed with 7 grandchildren, Jamie Hart,
Tye Krankenberg, Arianne Prochazka, Dalaan Organ, Drake Watkins, Gracie
Prochazka and Ben Watkins, and 5 great-grandchildren, Mackenzie Hart,
Cayson Hart, Connor Hart, Brooks Krankenberg and Kennedy Krankenberg.
Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were the light of her life and
she loved their visits and seeing their pictures and activities on
Facebook. Everyone looked forward to her daily texts over the past 5
years. Her daily telephone calls or visits with her brother Kenneth were
a special part of her day. She loved reading, including her daily
prayers, staying connected on Facebook, Bridge Club, Red Hatters,
Renewal Group and playing games on her tablet. If the Kansas City Chiefs
or Royals were on TV, you would be sure to find her watching them.
Shirley was preceded in death by her husband Daryl; parents;
grandparents, Andrew & Mary (Knobl) Leitner and Mathias &
Magdalena (Hautzinger) Kogl; brother Eugene Leitner and wife Mary, and
sister-in-law Kay Stanley. Shirley leaves behind her loving family;
brother Kenneth Leitner, of Atwood; 3 nieces; 6 nephews and many
friends.
Shirley will be cremated with a Memorial Mass at 11:00 a.m. Friday, July
30, 2021, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, in Atwood, followed by
burial at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Atwood, KS.
Memorials are suggested to the Shirley M. Organ Memorial Fund, to be designated later, and may be sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences, click HERE.