SHIRLEY [DOBRICHOVSKY] THOMPSON
Shirley was born in Verdigre on living, to Walt and
Blanche Dobrichovsky. While growing up, she enjoyed activities with
her friends, family vacations, tending to her pets, taking piano
lessons, and playing an alto saxophone in the VHS Band.
Shirley enjoyed sports and was a member of the Pep Club where she
held office as treasurer and for four years was secretary-treasurer
of her class. She was a homecoming queen candidate and after her
graduation in 1952, she attended Wayne State College.
Having a mother and grandmother who were teachers, Shirley knew,
without a doubt, that was one thing she wanted to do with her life.
She enjoyed working with children, and after two years at Wayne
State, she took a position at District 64, a country school two
miles north of Verdigre. In 1954 there was an opening for a teacher
for grades three and four in Verdigre and she held this position for
four years.
It was during this time that she met Mel Thompson of Niobrara and
she became his bride on November 26, 1954. They continued living in
Verdigre.
In 1958 Shirley taught kindergarten in Verdigre but quit in 1960
when a blessed event occurred - the birth of their daughter Lori on
living. Shirley stayed home then to be a full-time mother
and homemaker.
In 1963 she resumed her duties at Verdigre Public School as a Title
1 Aide until 1967, when a second blessed event occurred, the birth
of their second daughter, Kathi, on living. Kathi arrived
just in time to wish her mom a “Happy Birthday.”
Shirley again took three years off from her job to stay home and
enjoy her two daughters and watch them grow. As Kathi and Lori grew
older, the joys of babysitting were given to her mother and
grandmother, and they were not only babysitters, they enriched the
lives of the girls as teachers and devoted companions, teaching them
cooking skills and music, to name only a few of the benefits.
In 1970 Shirley returned to the Title 1 program and held that
position until 1974 after which she entered the Special Education
Department as a paraprofessional, and she still holds that job. She
states, “Working with the children is very rewarding and satisfying
and holds a special place in my heart.”
Shirley and her husband Mel are both members of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Niobrara.
Shirley has had many interest through the years. She was Girl Scout
leader, Sunday School teacher and Sunday School superintendent, is a
member of the Chit Chat Extension Club, loves to work with crafts,
listen to music, participate in community pageants, raises flowers,
read, and visit with family and friends.
Those interests sometimes take a back seat to the enjoyment and love
she receives from her two special grandchildren, Brett and Staci.
They keep life full of unexpected, delightful happenings. And after
all - that’s what life is all about, isn’t it?
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