SUMNER — Shirley Ann Neighbors, 82, of Sumner, died October 22, 2026, at Hillcrest Home in Sumner, leaving a family whose lives spanned generations and a story that took her from rural Iowa to Washington, D.C., Cuba and the Florida Keys before bringing her home again.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, October 27, at Becker & Son Funeral Home, 111 W. 5th Street in Sumner. Graveside services will follow at 11 a.m. Wednesday, October 28, at Wilson Grove Cemetery in rural Sumner. Memorials may be directed to the family for later designation.
Born November 24, 1943, at her family’s home in Pinhook in rural Bremer County, Shirley was the daughter of Herman and Elsie (Menke) Schulte. She attended Leroy #1 country school and graduated from Sumner High School in 1962. She continued her education at the Humbolt Institute in Minneapolis.
Her early career led her to Washington, D.C., where she worked in administration for the Central Intelligence Agency. After several years there, she met David Neighbors. They married March 27, 1965, at the Sumner Baptist Church.
Shirley and David spent years on the East Coast and lived for two years at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. They later made their home in Key West, Florida, for a decade. While there, they adopted sisters Lea and Michelle, and Shirley worked for many years at the Hibiscus Hotel and the Blue Marlin.
In 1982, the family returned to Sumner. Shirley worked at Community Memorial Hospital and later at Lands’ End in West Union, retiring in 2004.
Faith remained part of her life from her baptism at Elgin Baptist Church in 1954 through her longtime membership in the Baptist Church in Sumner. She enjoyed gathering for group Bible study, attending bluegrass festivals with David and spending time at the card table.
Her interests also included quilting, sewing and puzzles. In the kitchen, she put her baking and decorating skills to work on many wedding cakes.
Shirley is survived by her daughter, Lea Everly of Fairbank; her son, Erik (Barbara) Larson of Huntsville, Alabama; eight grandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family members.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, David; her daughter, Michelle Moran; her brother, Ed Schulte; and her sister, Variena Schulte Potratz Hofer.
Becker & Son Funeral Home is assisting the family. Additional information and a place to share condolences are available in Shirley’s obituary and tribute wall.
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