Shirley Kimmell Morgan

Shirley Kimmell Morgan, 82, formerly of Rock Island, passed away peacefully on Saturday February 16, 2019 at Circle of Life Hospice, Bentonville, Ark. Born June 20, 1936 in St Louis, Mo., to Harold Kimmell and Virginia (Fischer) Kimmell Scott. The family moved to Rock Island, Ill., in 1948. She attended Rock Island High School and upon graduation received a scholarship to Western Illinois University in Macomb. Shirley was a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority. She was married to Tom Morgan for 42 years. They had three children, daughters Cyndi and Susan, and son Thomas. She spent the last 10 years as a happy resident of The Meadows in Bentonville, where she was very active playing cards and helping with activities. Shirley enjoyed an active lifestyle. Over the years she participated in several bowling and golf leagues. She especially loved to play golf and achieved a Hole-In-One not just once, but twice in her lifetime. For many years she was active in the German Shepherd Dog Club of the Quad Cities and over the years had several faithful companions. Shirley traveled all over the Midwest showing her prize winning and beloved German Shepherds for many years and made many lifelong friends. Tom and Shirley held training for local police K-9 German Shepherds in their backyard on many occasions, and several dogs from their breeding program went on to have very successful careers as K-9 officers and drug detection dogs. She worked for Eagle Foods in Milan, Ill., from 1960-1995 as an Employee Benefits Manager overseeing various retirement and pension plans for the company, along with health and life insurance. Over the years she was a champion for and inspiration to countless woman in business. She imposed no limits on her success and encouraged others to do the same. Shirley will be remembered as a strong, caring, determined, loyal woman who was never speechless or short on opinions and quick to say exactly what was on her mind. She is survived by her sister, Joy Bennett McGuire (Ed) and daughters, Cyndi Handley (Len) and Susan Sagers (Don), five grandchildren, Beth Grashorn (Tom), Scott Carlson (Kristy), Bryan Cathelyn, Roseanna Morgan, and Angel Morgan, five great-grandchildren, Alex and Matthew Grashorn, Thomas and Ava Knochenmus and Alijah Morgan, and nephew Scott Bennett (Paula). Shirley is also survived by two very special friends, Penny Carr and Joe Whitley. She is preceded in death by her parents Harold & Virginia, husband Tom, infant son Thomas, brother-in-law Charles "Bud" Bennett, and niece Kim Bennett. Per Shirley's wishes, there will be no services. She prefers everyone remember her as she was. Shirley's favorite song sums up the way she lived. We will love you forever and miss you always. Until we meet again. "I've lived a life that's full. I've traveled each and every highway. And more, much more than this. I did it my way." ~ Frank Sinatra.