Shirley I. Mueller

MADISON - Shirley Irene Mueller, age 82, of Madison, died on Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010, at Clare Bridge Nursing Home in Middleton, Wisconsin. Shirley was born October 9, 1928 in Laona, Wisconsin, the daughter of Hazel (Allender) and Walter Liesch, She graduated from Laona High School in 1947, after which she entered the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she majored in English Literature. Shirley loved music and sang in a University choral group.

On July 26, 1948 she married Willard Fritz Mueller. In 1952 Shirley and Fritz moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where Fritz attended Vanderbilt University. Shirley was employed by the Methodist Board of Education and continued to sing in a Nashville choral group.In August 1954 Shirley and Fritz moved to Davis, California, when Fritz was appointed to the faculty of the University of California-Davis. In February 1956 they moved to Madison when Fritz was appointed to the faculty at the University of Wisconsin.

In March 1961 Shirley and Fritz moved to Washington, D.C. where Fritz served in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations until 1969. Shirley worked for two years for Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin and in 1968 worked on Vice-President Hubert Humphrey's campaign at the Watergate Hotel.

In September 1969, Shirley and Fritz returned to Madison,when Fritz was appointed Vilas Research Professor of economics and law attheUniversity of Wisconsin. Shirley continued to be active in politics working on numerous campaigns and volunteering at the V.A. Hospital. She loved to attend Chicago Lyric Operas. Shirley enjoyed attending classes in the Department of Art History and established the Shirley Mueller Art History Graduate StudentFund, which provides travel grants for art history graduate students.

Shirley was an avid Wisconsin Badgerfan (basketball, hockey and football)and Green Bay Packer fan. She also loved to travel, read, listen to music,and watch movies.

Shirley is survived by her husband Fritz, three children; Keith, Scott (Ann Pfotenhauer-Mueller), Kay (David Emerson) and two grandchildren; Nicole and Christopher Mueller.Shirley was preceded in death by her parents; her sister Mavis,her brothers; Ken, Robert, Donald, Bruce, Keith and Bill.

A Visitation will be held from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Monday, December 13, 2010 at the Cress Funeral Home, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison. A short service will follow at 6:00 pm at Cress Funeral Home. A private burial will take place on Tuesday. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Shirley Mueller Memorial Fund. These contributions will be distributed to the CNA'swho work at the Clare Bridge Nursing Home inMiddleton where Shirley lived for the last two years of her life.