Shirley (Thurman) Cross

Shirley (Thurman) Cross, 89, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in Woodland, California. She was born on February 24, 1936, in Mitchell, South Dakota, to Ted and Ester Thurman.

On December 21, 1952, Shirley married the love of her life, Keith Cross, in Mitchell. Together they built a life rooted in devotion, adventure, and family. During Keith’s service in the U.S. Air Force, they lived at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, Bovingdon Airfield in England, and later Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California. After Keith’s retirement, they settled in Davis, California, where they owned and operated A-1 Body Shop for nearly 35 years.

Shirley had an adventurous spirit and a lifelong love of travel. She delighted in cross‑country road trips in the family motorhome and, later in life, in journeys with the Davis Travelaires. She cherished time with her family, and nothing brought her more joy than her five great‑grandchildren.

Shirley is survived by her daughter Cheryl Felsch (David) and her son Brian Cross (Deirdre), both of Winters, California; her grandchildren Tyler Cross (Angela) of Davis and Amy Dietz (Ryan) of Woodland; and her great‑grandchildren Julia, Carter, and Kyle Cross of Davis, and Maddie and Hallie Dietz of Woodland. She is survived by her siblings Sharon Wiezorek and Jerry Thurman, both of Rapid City, South Dakota, and Becky Ward of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, along with numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Keith, for whom she was a loving caregiver through his battle with ALS. Her family takes comfort in knowing she is reunited with Keith.

A celebration of life will be held Saturday, February 21 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Yolo Fliers Club, 17980 Co Rd 94B, Woodland, CA 95695.