Senator Edwin Alan Shirley View All Years

EDWIN ALAN “PUD” SHIRLEY

Edwin Alan “Pud” Shirley was born on November 17, 1937, in Des Moines, Iowa, to Donald Joseph and Winifred Elizabeth McArthur Shirley. He passed away on August 20, 2004, at the age of sixty-six. He is survived by his wife Viivi-Ann; daughters Jill Shirley, and Elise Reiser and her husband Paul; grandchildren Liisi and William Reiser; and a sister Brenda Turner.

Shirley graduated from Perry High School in 1956, earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Iowa, and his law degree from Drake University. He also earned a master’s degree in public administration from Drake University. He married Viivi-Ann Aarma in 1959. Shirley was a partner in the Shirley, Powell, and Finneseth law firm in Perry and Jefferson. He specialized in property, elder, and real estate law.

Shirley ran for the Iowa Legislature in 1964 and was elected as one of the youngest state senators in Iowa. He served in the Senate for six years. Shirley was elected Dallas County Attorney in 1976. He held that position for ten years. He later served as Perry City Attorney for six years.

Shirley was involved in numerous community and civic activities. He was a member of the Elks and the Iowa Bar Association and served as mayor of Perry. In 2004, he received the Perry Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award. His lifelong passion was the Iowa Red Cross, where he volunteered for more than 25 years. He was a member of the Iowa Red Cross Board of Directors from 1988-2001, and served as the board chair from 1993-1994. He served as chair of the Emergency Services Committee from 1992-1993, and raised a record $5 million plus to help with the Midwest floods in 1993. He was chair of the International Services Committee from 1995 until his death.

Shirley was well known for his gracious, genuine like of people, and his ready sense of humor. Those traits, coupled with a commitment to community, kept him in public service throughout most of his professional life. Shirley had many interests, including performing in several plays in Perry and Granger, collecting rare stamps, collecting books in preparation for launching a used book store, and reading.

Shirley was a Dallas County Democrat. He served in the Iowa Senate from 1965-1970 during the 61st, 62nd, and 63rd General Assemblies.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE EIGHTY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IOWA: That in the passing of the Honorable Edwin Alan “Pud” Shirley, the State has lost an honored citizen and faithful and useful public servant, and that the Senate by this resolution expresses its appreciation of his service to the State and tenders its sympathy and kindest regards to the members of his family.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the Senate and that the Secretary of the Senate be instructed to forward an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

JERRY BEHN

DARYL BEALL

DOUG SHULL

Committee