Shirley passed away surrounded by angels and her loving family at the age of 79 after losing her battle to cancer.

Shirley worked many years in Food Service the last as Food Service Director, until her retirement, for the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration at Villa St Joseph on St Joseph Ridge in rural La Crosse. She loved being there with her co-workers and the Sisters.  Shirley spent her retirement years doing what she loved; being with family, traveling, sitting in nature, having friends to share poems at lunch, sewing in a circle of costume creators at Community Theatre, volunteering with the unsheltered, committee work involving care of the earth, food insecurity, Immigration, programs to help the unsheltered. Shirley was grateful to be a part of Habitat for Humanity builds and service trips to help with home repairs after hurricanes and floods. She made many good and lasting friends through this work. She had the great privilege to spend her life being and doing as wife, mother, daughter, sister, auntie, friend.  Special companions on her journey were her family, dogs, kitties, the FSPA Sisters and Affiliates, many good friends and dear friend Helga. She greatly appreciated the phone calls from her kids sharing the moon phases and from her neighbors sharing the sunsets.

Shirley was born to Bill and Rose (Kirschner) Erickson in La Crosse. She graduated from Aquinas High School in 1960. Shirley married Carl Huhn Jr in 1961. They shared a full life together for 38 years until Carl’s death in 1999. They had four children.

She is survived by the people she loved most in the world; her sons Rodney and his wife Diane, Joseph and his friend Deb Felch, daughter Colleen and her husband John Kassera, grandchildren, Tony Preeshl, Carl Huhn his finance Lauren Rivard), Chad and his wife Crystal Kassera, Jesse and his wife Rachel Kassera, great grandchildren Sadie, Sophie. Kadence and Kody Kassera, a brother Norm and his wife Mari Erickson, sisters Patricia Hartman and Vicki St Mary. She is also survived by sisters-in-law Karen Betts and Shirley Fink and wonderful nieces and nephews.

Shirley was preceded in death by her husband Carl and her dear son Patrick, her parents, brothers Don and Bill and her sister Phyllis Petersen. She was also preceded in death by nieces and nephews, Carl’s parents Karl and Viola Huhn, brother-in-law Fred Huhn and his wife Marilyn, sisters-in-law Elaine Haggerty, LaVonne Young, and Myrtle Erickson.

The family would like to thank the medical and support staff at Mayo Franciscan Healthcare La Crosse for their kind, compassionate care and all those who supported and provided comfort throughout Shirley’s journey.

In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred. They may be sent in her memory to Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, 912 Market St, La Crosse, WI 54601 or for program to help the unsheltered or charity of your choice.

“A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam. And for a brief moment its glory and beauty belong to our world. But then it flies on again. And though we wish it could have stayed we feel so lucky to have seen it.”  Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, August 13, 2022 at The Gathering Place, 133 Mason St. Onalaska, WI. With visitation from 10:00 am until the time of the service.