Shirley Gates age 95, died peacefully, Sunday evening, February 27, 2022, at her home.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 Wednesday morning, March 2, 2022 at the Hopkinton Community Church with private family interment in the Hopkinton Cemetery. Friends may call 9:30 at the church. Goettsch Funeral Home has taken Shirley and her family into their care. By visiting Goettschonline.com you may share your thoughts, memories and condolences with Shirley’s family and sign the online guest book. Memorials may be made to the Hopkinton Community Church or the Delaware County Historical Society.
Surviving are 3 children, Bill (Michelle) Gates, Dubuque, Gary (Cheryl) Gates, Hopkinton, Kim Gates, Waukon, son-in-law Dennis Rigel, Waterloo, 7 Grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren and 3 nieces and a sister-in-law, Marge Dunlap. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Kimbal, her daughter Lynne Rigel in 2016, and her brother, Eugene Dunlap.
Shirley Anne Dunlap was born on September 18, 1926 at Washington, Iowa. She was the daughter of Leslie and Gladys Schulty, Dunlap. Shirley graduated from the Washington, High School in 1944 and continued her education at Cornell College in Mount Vernon. Shirley Dunlap and Kimbal Gates were married on September 19, 1948 at Washington, Iowa. Kimbal , his brother Robert and their father Leslie operated Gates Implement in Kalona, Iowa, a John Deere and Chevrolet Dealership. The Gates family sold the business in Kalona in December of 1957 and moved to Hopkinton, Iowa in 1958 where they farmed. Shirley was a homemaker and mother.
Shirley was always active in the community, a member of the United Methodist Church, now the Hopkinton Community Church. She was the organist at the church for 60 years. Shirley also was an accompanist for the students participating in high school music contests. She was also active in Camp Fire, serving as a leader and on the Camp Fire Board. Shirley belonged to Kennsington Klub, was an election official, and served as the treasurer of the Delaware County Historical Society. She loved to go walking, play tennis, reading and doing her adult coloring books, play ping-pong, play games and spending time with her pets, and family.
