Shirley May Boardman

Our Mom, Shirley, left us in the early morning hours on June 16, 2025 in her residence at the Manor at Marston Lake in Littleton Colorado where she had been living over the past year.  She welcomed the Lord’s embrace and was ready to go into the light.  She was 89 years old.

Shirley was born July 18, 1935 in Green Bay Wisconsin and grew up with her artistic sister, Marilyn, on a large family farm in Oshkosh Wisconsin raising mainly chickens.  Her parents, Robert Zellmer and Lillian (Jones), formulated the values and success that would assist Shirley later in life.  She met her future husband to be, Robert B Boardman (really known as Dr. Bob) at Macalester College in Minnesota in the late 50s.  They fell in love, married and during their honeymoon to Colorado, decided to move from the Midwest to Denver where they began a family, finally settling for the long haul at their home in Englewood.  They had 3 children, Michael (Sandy), Oregon;  David (Susie) Tennessee;  Karen (Don) Oregon;  and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

In addition to being a loving mother, Shirley was a teacher for the first half of her career in the local school district teaching remedial reading and english to elementary children.  She later joined the medical field working for Children’s Hospital Colorado to finish out a rewarding career before retiring in 2000.  She was very committed to her faith, worship and the choir at the St James Presbyterian Church in Littleton as well as a participating member of the local community.  She was fortunate to have loving families and lifelong friends who stayed in her life for many years.

Shirley also very much enjoyed nature, hiking and traveling.  The family time included camping and skiing in the Rockies; traveling across the seas and several trips to Mexico and the west coast.  She was very involved with gardening in their backyard; bird watching and always had a passion for animals.  There were many family cats over the years.

Shirley will be placed in the St James Presbyterian Church Memorial Garden with a Celebration of Life to be held at a future date.

In lieu of flowers / gifts, please make donations to Meals on Wheels or your local Humane Society in Shirley’s memory.

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