September 24, 1935 – August 20, 2022

Shirley Fricke Colson, 86, of Sedalia, Mo., died Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022, at Good Shepherd Care Community in Concordia, Mo.

Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Sweet Springs, with Pastor Alan Mueller and the Rev. Dan Wing officiating. Visitation will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church. Burial will be in Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Higginsville. Memorials are suggested to St. Paul’s Lutheran School in Sedalia or Immanuel Lutheran Church in Sweet Springs. Friends may sign the online register book at www.campbell-lewis.com.

Born on Sept. 24, 1935, in rural Pettis County, Mo., at the family home near Dunksburg, Mo., she was the youngest child of Fritz Fricke and Hulda Stumpenhaus Fricke. She attended Holy Cross Christian School in Emma, Mo., riding horseback to and from school with her brother Clarence. She was baptized at Holy Cross Lutheran Church on Oct. 20, 1935. On June 27, 1953, she married Carl E. Colson, who preceded her in death on Dec. 17, 2012. At age 16 Shirley went to work at International Shoe Company in Sweet Springs and also worked at Rival Manufacturing. She was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Sedalia.

Survivors include four children, Carl Ray Colson (Carolyn) of Sweet Springs and their children, Sara and Lori, Diane Swift (Gaylon) of Marshall, Mo., and their children, Grant, Tyler, Conner, Joel, Bonnie and Mollie, Wanda Welch (Mike) of Sweet Springs and their children, Brian, Jason and Brad, and Barbara Clevenger (Philip) of Sweet Springs and their children, Scott, John and Cindi; 14 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Linda Fricke of Emma; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents and husband, Shirley was preceded in death by seven siblings, Oscar Fricke, Vernon Fricke, Clarence Fricke, Lavern Fricke, Ethel Bredehoeft, Virgil Fricke and Arvel Fricke.