Obituary: Shirley Oles, 77, of Hart

November 10, 2023

Obituary: Shirley Oles, 77, of Hart

Shirley L. Oles, 77, passed away Wednesday, November 8, 2023. She was born July 14, 1946, in Hart to John and Beatrice (Dorrance) Gebhart. Shirley attended Garver School and graduated from Hart High School where she was very active in FFA and band.

After high school, Shirley continued working at the farmers markets on the weekend and during the summer while earning her degree in education, specializing in family living and home economics from Michigan State University. She met her future husband, Bob, at the Muskegon Heights Farmers Market and they continued to date until they married on August 17, 1968.

Shirley was a teacher for 40 years and made a difference in so many of her students’ lives. She got her first job at Climax-Scotts High School teaching Home Economics and then began a new job with Walkerville Schools. In Walkerville, Shirley taught K-12 art, science, math, history, yearbook, and helped with countless proms. After that, she got her dream job teaching foods 1 and 2, family living and parenting at Hart High School.

In addition to teaching, Shirley worked with her husband, Bob, to continue her family’s legacy, Golden Hart Fruit Farms. She had a passion for waiting on her customers at the market and sharing her knowledge and love of the things they grew. Even as her health declined, Shirley would sit and talk with her “fans” and anyone who stopped by.

Her greatest joy in life was her children and grandchildren. Shirley had an immense love and pride for them, which shined through whenever she would see or talk about them.

Shirley is survived by: her husband of 55 years, Bob; her daughters, Danielle (Gary) Barnes of Sterling Heights, and Darci (Bryan) Acrich of Commerce Township; and four grandchildren, Zander, Lyla, Ari and Felicia.

She was preceded in death by: her parents; her sister, Beverly Dayharsh; and her brother, Robert Gebhart.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, November 18, 2023, at St. Gregory Catholic Church, 316 South Peach Avenue, Hart. Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, November 17, 2023, at Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel, 2370 North 72nd Avenue, Hart.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Shirley L. Oles Educational Scholarship at the Oceana Community Foundation, PO Box 902, Pentwater, MI 49449, or online at oceanafoundation.org.

Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.