Shirley (Miller) Fraze

Shirley Lee (Miller) Fraze, 100, years young, of Kendallville was born in Kendallville, Indiana, on March 27,1924 to Guy and Geneva Miller. She had one sister, Marilyn Sibert, who died in 2003. Shirley died Friday, April 26, 2024 at Lutheran Life Villages, Pine Valley, Fort Wayne.

Shirley graduated from Kendallville High School in 1942. In 1946, she married James Fraze, and they had two children, Cindy VanWinkle of Texas and Stan Fraze of Fort Wayne. Jim died in 2002, after 56 years of a loving marriage.

For most of her life, Shirley was a homemaker, although she did clerical work at Kendallville Foundry before that. She also volunteered at McCray Memorial Hospital and was a long-time member of the Presbyterian Church in Kendallville.

Shirley loved her time on the golf course, playing from the age of 13 to into her 90s, mostly at the Kendallville Elks Country Club. She was an avid fan of IU basketball, Bears football, Cubs baseball, and professional golf.

For her entire life, Shirley has been described as an independent and positive person. She has been a role model of healthy living, physically and mentally. In order to stay close to family, Shirley and Jim travelled to Germany and spent winters in Texas.

Survivors include daughter, Cindy VanWinkle, whose husband Bill died in 2001; and son, Stan Fraze and his wife Ann.

Shirley has four grandchildren: Troy (Norma) VanWinkle of San Antonio, Texas; Heidi (Robert) Karrer of New Braunfels, Texas; Caitlin Fraze of Fort Wayne; and grandson Zach (Stephanie) Fraze, also of Fort Wayne.

Shirley’s great grandchildren are Dustin (Shelby) Karrer, Cody (Erika) Karrer, Austin (Hannah) Karrer, Matthew VanWinkle, and Josh VanWinkle, all of Texas, and great granddaughter Abigail (Ryan) Ortez of Baltimore. Shirley’s great-great grandchildren are Avery Karrer, William Ortez, and Emma Karrer.

Shirley will be buried privately at Lakeview Cemetery in Kendallville.

Visitation and a memorial service will be held Sunday, May 26th at First Presbyterian Church in Kendallville. Visitation will be held from 1:00-3:00 PM followed by a memorial service at 3:00 PM. Donations are to CASS Housing in Fort Wayne, in lieu of flowers.

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