Shirley J. Garden, 90, of Salem, passed away peacefully on March 27th, 2026, with her family by her side. She was born on May 21st, 1935, in Winfield, Kansas, to Sterling and Katherine (Frank) Hulen. She married the love of her life, Richard Garden, on June 27th, 1953, in Salem, and would spend 64 wonderful years together till his passing in 2017.
She is survived by her children: Katrina (Jim) Hughes of Sullivan and Andy Garden of Salem; grandchildren: Casey (Tom) Lowry of Urbana, Haley (David) McGrath of Arthur, and Cody (Sidney) Garden of Salem; and great-grandchildren: Calvin, Otis, Leighton, Tripp, Bowyer, Grey, and Berkleigh.
She was preceded in death by her parents: Sterling and Katherine Hulen; husband: Richard “Dick” Garden; son: Rich Garden; and brother: S.P. Hulen.
Shirley was a woman of deep faith. She was a dedicated, longtime member of the First Baptist Church in Salem. She was a graduate of SCHS, the class of 1953. She worked for the University of Oklahoma in Norman, OK, and Texico Oil in Salem before dedicating her time to her family. She enjoyed quilting and the many friends that she made throughout her life. Her biggest joy was being a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 am on April 4th, 2026, at the First Baptist Church in Salem, with Pastor Dr. Andy Dewitt officiating. Burial will follow at East Lawn Cemetery. A time of visitation will be from 9:00 am until the time of the service at the Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Baptist Children’s Home and will be accepted at the Church or at Sutherland-Rankin Funeral Home, PO Box 97, Salem, Illinois 62881. Online condolences may be left at www.sutherlandfuneralhome.com or the Sutherland-Rankin Facebook Page.
