SHIRLEY KAY ELLIOTT

Harper Ferry

Shirley Kay Elliott, 79, of Harpers Ferry, Iowa, died Friday June 11, 2021 at Veteran’s Memorial Hospital in Waukon, Iowa. The funeral will take place at

11 am Wednesday June 16, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Waukon, with Father Jacob Dunne and Reverend Mgr. Ed Lechtenberg officiating. Interment will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Waukon. Friends can call 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at

Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon, where there will be a Bible service at 3:30 p.m.

Shirley Kay Hahn was born on November 26, 1941 in Iowa City, Iowa, daughter of Maurice and Catherine (Lloyd) Hahn. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Calmar, IA. Graduated from Calmar high school in 1959, she joined the Académie de Paris at Cedar Rapids and obtained her degree in cosmetology. It was at Cedar Rapids that she met the love of her life, Richard “Dick” Elliott through a mutual friend at the Butterfly Cafe. They were married on April 22, 1961 at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Calmar. On November 21, 1967, they were blessed with the birth of their son, John.

For the first 10 years of their marriage, it was Shirley who supported this young family, working as a beautician, while Dick worked to found Elliott Jewelers. She continued to work as a beautician, operating her own salon at the back of the Elliott Jewelers Building, until it was decided that some of her talents would be better utilized in the jewelry store. It was therefore at the California GIA that she trained in goldsmithing and diamond setting. She completed further training in Minneapolis. Her other specialty was stringing beads, which she learned from the wife of a Japanese pearl farmer who had become a friend over the years in business. Shirley continued to work at least part time in the family business until recently.

Shirley’s hands were never inactive. When she was not working in the jewelry store, she took care of her many hobbies. Whether it was crossword puzzles or sudoku, playing cards or cribbage, cooking or baking, knitting or crochet, she was always doing something. She was also a stained glass artist and a basket maker; she has hand-woven hundreds of baskets; sign, number and date each individually. Over the years she has been an active bowler and golfer. In recent years, she has participated in water aerobics, led Tai Chi at the Harpers Ferry Community Center, and most notably, played on the Harpers Ferry Fireflies Granny basketball team, a three-time national champion.

Her faith, family and friends were of the utmost importance to Shirley. She was a loyal member of St. Patrick’s, Waukon, and St. Ann-St. Joseph Catholic Church, Harpers Ferry. She cherished the time spent with her son, John, and his family, as well as with her sister, Mary, and her family; and the rest of his nieces and nephews too. A friend recently described her best, saying that she is “an incredible example of love, kindness and pleasure”.

Survivors include her husband, Richard “Dick” Elliott of Harpers Ferry; one son, John (Shelly) Elliott of Waukon; two granddaughters, Maranda Elliott and her friend Kyle Jones and Lauren Elliott and her friend Tristan Hansmeier; one sister, Mary (Hahn) (Don) Lynch of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma .; two sisters-in-law, Linda Hahn of Desdemona, Texas, and Barb Hahn of Thief River Falls, Minn .; and nieces and nephews, Lori Hahn-Cox, Teri (Hahn) Hughes, Jacki Hahn-Rubish, Jim Hahn, Jeb Lynch and Jamie Lynch.

She was predeceased by her parents; and two brothers, Raymond “Jim” Hahn and William “Bill” Hahn.

The coffin bearers are Jim Hahn, Jeb Lynch, Jamie, Lynch, Dale Rubish, Pat Hart and Dan Denk. Honorary casket bearers are Jan (Kemp) Isen, Carole Alderdyce and the Fireflies basketball team.

Memorials can be in Shirley’s name at St. Patricks Waukon School.