Shirley J. Enslen

CHARLESTON, IL – Shirley Jane (Gaskill) Enslen, age 90, longtime resident of Charleston, Illinois, and active parishioner of Wesley United Methodist Church, passed on Friday, June 11, 2021, in Chesterton, Indiana. 

Born November 13, 1930, in Huntington, Indiana to Glenn and Dawn Gaskill.  On August 27, 1950, she and Richard Enslen were married in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.  She was the loving mother of Dan, Laura, Scott, and Todd.  She was preceded in death by her daughter, Laura and is survived by her husband Richard, three sons (3 daughters-in-law, one son-in-law), two nieces, nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Shirley was trained as a legal secretary putting her amazing organizational and shorthand skills to work for several employers throughout her career.  She volunteered her time while at Wesley United Methodist Church in various capacities, including the Stephen Ministry, and Chapter CF, P.E.O. Sisterhood.  Along with her devotion to the church, she spent a great deal of time helping others through volunteer activities in local organizations such as Meals on Wheels. 

She was also a talented seamstress and quilter who made many creations and passed her knowledge to several of her grandchildren.   Her quilts will serve as lasting memories.  Although Shirley was employed in various endeavors and enjoyed volunteer work, she considered the years she was able to spend at home with her children while they were young, her main career.  One of her greatest joys was spending time with each grandchild and instinctively knew how to engage with them at every age.

A Graveside Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 4, 2021, at Roselawn Cemetery in Charleston to celebrate a life well lived. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Shirley J. Enslen, please visit our floral store.