Shirley Marie Kottwitz

Shirley Marie Kottwitz, age 76, of Belle, passed away Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at the Rolla Manor Care Center.

Shirley was born on July 3, 1939, in Paydown, a daughter to the late Clarence and Hilda (Backues) Baumgartner.

She was a lifelong member of the Belle area and a 1957 graduate of Belle High School.

On June 4, 1959, Shirley was united in marriage to Everett Kottwitz in Linn. He preceded her in death on Tuesday, February 11, 1992.

Although Shirley had been employed at the Brown Shoe Company Owensville for a short time, most of her adult life was spent as a stay at home mother and grandmother. It was a job she loved.

She was a member of the Liberty Church of Christ near Belle and was very close to her church family. Shirley enjoyed singing and listening to gospel music, cooking, watching old westerns, and taking her weekly trip to the hair salon. She loved to socialize and crack funny jokes and was a self- taught piano player. Shirley was very active in planning her class reunions as well as staying in touch with her class members. She enjoyed taking cruises around the area, and loved to drive by the park to see the geese. Her favorite thing to do, however, was spending time with her family and especially her grandchildren. She will be missed greatly by those that knew and loved her.

Shirley is survived by: two daughters, Bridgett Kottwitz of Jefferson City and Tina Bock and her husband Mike of Linn; one sister, Lois Jett and her husband Jim of Linn; five grandchildren, Brandon Bock and his wife Ashley, Bobbie Robertson and her husband Kyle, Amy Chambers and her husband Lynn, Heidi Krieg, and Dalton Elrod; eight great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; and one brother-in-law, George Bentlange as well as many nieces, nephews, extended family members and friends.

In addition to her parents and husband, Shirley was preceded in death by, one sister, Loretta Bentlange and a niece, Kimberly Jett.

Visitation for Shirley will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 4, 2016 at Sassmann's Chapel in Belle.

An additional visitation will be held on Friday, February 5, 2016 starting at 10:00 a.m. at the Liberty Church of Christ and continue until the funeral service begins at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow in the Liberty Cemetery.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to Sassmann's Chapel to go towards a monument for Shirley.