Shirley Mungai dead at 93
Shirley Mungai (nee Davis), born 11/15/1930 in Pendleton, Indiana and most recently residing at the Oak Park Arms, passed away on Oct. 4, 2024.
She will be remembered very fondly for her keen sense of humor, her kindness, her sense of adventure and for her generosity. It was her goal to protect and to cling tightly to those she loved and to care for those in need of comfort.
Shirley and her family moved to Oak Park in the 1940’s where she attended St. Edmund’s school and later, OPRF. She was preceded in death by her eight siblings.
After marrying Joseph J. Mungai she moved to Elgin and started a family. They had 4 children together. Her spouse, Joseph, passed away in 2014, her daughter-in-law, Bonny, in 2016 and her son, Joe, passed in 2023. She leaves behind her remaining children, Diana (Dianne Jones), Maria (Henry Sampson) and Ed, her grandchildren Abby (Dustin King) and Phil, her step granddaughters Beth (Eric Vandemark) and Gwen (Jim Walski) her step great granddaughters Madeline, Penny and Evelyn Walski along with many nieces, nephews and her sisters-in-law, June and Rita
Children were very dear to her. Living at the Oak Park Arms, she was able to see the children in the pre-school and decided to make ALL of them knitted doll and stuffed animals. Making children happy was a source of joy for her. All the ‘little ones’ at the Kindness Creators at the Oak Park Arms will remember ‘Miss Shirley’.
Perhaps most notable about Shirley’s life is how much fun she could be. She was always looking for a new adventure or just spending a day ‘gallivanting’, one of her favorite words. Her loss is keenly felt but stories of her escapades abound.
She was certainly a presence throughout Oak Park in her 6 yrs living at the Arms. She could be seen walking all over town. She walked to mass at St. Edmund’s every morning and later to Ascension Church. Some days she would walk a mile and sometimes four. She wore out four sets of tires on her walker since moving back to Oak Park!
Above all, Shirley’s connection to her faith was a primary source of comfort and joy for her. She chose to see kindness in others and was repaid in so many ways. She valued her church community, her Oak Park Arms community and most of all, her family.
A memorial mass will be held Friday, October 18th, 11:00 a.m. at the Ascension Church, Oak Park and a graveside committal service shall be held Monday, October 21st., 10:30 a.m. at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Elgin.
I am deeply saddened to hear of Shirley’s passing. I had the privilege of working with her for many years, and I can say without hesitation that she was a truly remarkable woman. Her kindness, sense of humor, and unwavering generosity made her a beloved figure to all who knew her. I’ll always remember her stories and the way she brought so much joy to the children at the Oak Park Arms—whether it was with her hand-made stuffed animals or her warm presence, Shirley had a way of making everyone feel special.
She was a wonderful example of how to live with purpose, always looking for ways to give to others and share her love. Her friendly walks around town, her devotion to her faith, and the way she cherished her family were just a few of the many things that made her so special. Shirley’s legacy will live on through the countless lives she touched, and she will be missed by so many of us who were lucky to have known her. My thoughts are with her family during this difficult time, and I’m grateful for all the memories we shared with her.