Shirley Laufenberg

Shirley Laufenberg, age 85, of Waunakee, WI passed away peacefully on April 30, 2025.

She was born on March 20, 1940 in St. Paul, MN, the daughter of Walter and Eileene (Nikl) Reischel.

On August 27, 1960 she married John Schirmang from Reedsburg, WI. They moved to Sun Prairie, Wisconsin and started a family. Shirley was the proud mother of 3 children; Debbie (Brian) Rupert of Sun Prairie, Jon Schirmang (Sun Prairie, deceased) and Terri (Rich) Grulke of Beaver Dam. While her children were growing up she worked as a bus driver for Rite-Way Bus Company in Madison, WI during the school year and Stokely Canning Company in Sun Prairie during the summer months. In her spare time when she wasn’t busy running the kids to swimming lessons, attending their many sports, music, choir or school events, and keeping the many neighborhood kids at her house in line, she was a Stanley Home Products Demonstrator. She also enjoyed dancing, camping with family and friends, couples bowling league, couples card club with the neighbors, and weekends playing games with the family. In 1985 Shirley began working at General Casualty Insurance. She worked there until her retirement in 2006. In 1992 she lost her husband John unexpectedly.

In October 1994 she married her current husband Henry Laufenberg of Waunakee, WI and happily extended her number of children with Henry’s three children; Scott (Marsha) Laufenberg of Bowling Green, KY, Craig Laufenberg, and Dean (Valerie) Laufenberg of Waunakee. Together with Henry she enjoyed attending waterski shows and competitions, traveling to the Mount Pleasant Threshers Reunion, going to shows in Branson, and driving to Gays Mills for the apple festival. She also loved to play euchre at the Waunakee and Middleton Senior Centers.

Her greatest joy was her 7 grandchildren; Michael, Justin, Travis, Emma, Patrick, Molly, Addison and her 6 great grandchildren; Kiley, Annabelle, Savannah, Evelyn, Meadow and Autumn.

A Celebration of Shirley’s life will be held on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Springfield Inn, 6136 County Rd P, Dane, WI

The family would like to extend their immense appreciation to the wonderful staff at The Meadows of Fall River for the care they have given her. She loved the Staff and the activities offered there. You are like family to us. And to Rainbow Hospice Care to help mom peacefully transition to her heavenly home.

In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to the American Cancer Society in Shirley Laufenberg’s name.

Please share your memories of Shirley here on her Tribute Wall.

Winn-Cress Funeral Home, 

5785 Hwy Q Waunakee, WI