Shirlee Sammons-Kiley-Ludemann

Shirlee Sammons-Kiley-Ludemann, aged 86, passed away on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Madrid Home in Madrid, Iowa. Shirlee succumbed to the ravages of brain and lung cancer as well as a long battle with neuropathy that had affected her mobility.

Shirlee was born on the family farm southwest of Creston, July 27, 1931, to Roy and Nellie Sammons. She grew up on the farm and graduated from Cromwell Community High School in 1949. Following graduation from high school Shirlee worked for the Union County Farm Bureau until her marriage to Bob Kiley in California in December of 1951. Upon Bob's discharge from the service, they moved to the Des Moines area where Bob worked on a farm and Shirlee worked for Hawkeye Insurance of Des Moines. In 1957, Shirlee and Bob moved to their own farm southwest of Creston and Shirlee returned to work with Farm Bureau.

Lacking opportunities for advancement, Shirlee left Farm Bureau and started her own independent insurance agency in Creston that she successfully owned and operated from 1961 until 1971. In 1971, Shirlee left Creston and moved to Emmetsburg, where she owned and operated a sporting goods store and started another successful insurance business.

Shirlee married Rod Ludemann in 1984 and moved to Faribault, Minnesota. Together they operated C&A Advertising and Shirlee continued her work in insurance sales and they eventually relocated to Johnston. Following her divorce from Rod in 1995, Shirlee purchased the struggling company and grew it into a successful business in Johnston, where she owned and operated it until 2006.

Following her business career, Shirlee began to have increasing issues with her health due to neuropathy that restricted her physical activity over time. She moved to Grimes and lived in a mobile home that better served her physical limitations. Shirlee often stated that her time in Grimes were some of the happiest years of her life as she developed many close and devoted friendships.

In 2017, Shirlee relocated her mobile home to Madrid, to a newer and nicer park and to be close to longtime friend and care-giver Bo Fidler. Bo assisted Shirlee with upkeep on her home and making accommodations to assist Shirlee as her physical health continued to fail.

In November of 2017, Shirlee was diagnosed with lung cancer and subsequently found that she suffered from brain cancer as well. Following cancer treatments, Shirlee moved to the Madrid Home and resided there until her passing.

Shirlee is survived by her sister Leone Purdum of Creston, and family members including Debbie Chapman (husband Mike), Cyndy Jeffryes (husband Curt), Curt Purdum (and friend Kathy), Tracy Purdum (wife Carla) and Roxanne Lamb (husband Mike).

Shirlee was preceded in death by her parents Roy and Nellie Sammons, brother Keith Sammons and wife Norma, brother-in-law Clifford Purdum and nephew Rod Sammons. No visitation or funeral services will be held. Burial at Cromwell Cemetery will occur at a later date. Memorials can be left to the Animal Rescue League.