Shirley L. Gale

Shirley Louise (Davis) Gale, 85, of Winona, MN and formally of Onalaska, WI, passed away on Tuesday, October 23, 2018 at Sugar Loaf Senior Living. She has been reunited with her husband, Art, the love of her life.

Shirley was born in Minneapolis, MN on November 5, 1932 to Lawrence and Vera (McCarthy) Davis. Her mother, Vera, passed away October 31, 1933. On May 8. 1937, Lawrence married Anna Gorczka, who became a much-loved stepmother to Shirley. Shirley married Arthur J Gale on February 19, 1955, at Holy Name Church in Minneapolis.

In May, 1958, Shirley and Art moved to Onalaska, WI. In 1965, Art and Shirley purchased Lackore Electric Motor Repair in La Crosse, WI. Family was always the most important thing to Shirley, and she supported her husband by doing the bookkeeping for the business at home while raising four small children, and later working at both shops in La Crosse and Winona. Shirley loved to have her home filled with family and friends, and particularly enjoyed watching her children and grandchildren grow into adulthood and celebrating milestones with them. She always felt that her greatest gift from God was her beloved husband, family, and a genuine love of people.

Shirley was a proud member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church, the Ladies of Columbus, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the La Crosse Shamrock Club, where she was named Irish Rose in 1992.

Survivors are a daughter, Linda Gale; three sons, Artie (June) Gale, Joe (Lisa) Gale, and Paul (Dawn) Gale; eight grandchildren, A. J. (Rena) Gale, Jacob (Bethany) Gale, Sara Gale (Blake Deneweth), Samantha Gale, Chris Gale, Sydney (Jake) Kallenbach, Gabe Gale, and Clay Gale; and three great-grandsons, Rylan, Caden, and Torin Gale.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her loving husband, Art, two sister-in-laws, Mary C “Dolly” Gale and Donna Kuehn, and a brother-in-law, Elvin Kuehn.

The family would like to thank Sugar Loaf Senior Living Memory Care staff and Winona Hospice for taking care of Shirley and treating her with such loving care and dignity.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 A.M. Wednesday, October 31 ^st at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Onalaska with Monsignor Steven Kachel officiating. Burial will follow in the Onalaska City Cemetery. A rosary will be recited at 9:15 A.M. at the church on Wednesday, followed by a visitation from 9:30 A.M. until the time of Mass. In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred.