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Shirley Lininger, 88, of Creston, died Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, at the EveryStep Kavanagh Hospice House in Des Moines. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service for Shirley and Robert Lininger will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, at Powers Funeral Home in Creston. Pastor Tim Maxa will officiate. Private burial will be in Graceland Cemetery in Creston and Oakland Cemetery in Shannon City. Services will be livestreamed at a link under her obituary at powersfh.com. Visitation with family receiving friends will be 10-11 a.m., Saturday, prior to services at Powers Funeral Home in Creston.
Memorials may be directed to EveryStep Kavanagh Hospice House in Des Moines. Online condolences may be given at www.powersfh.com.
Shirley Charlene Lininger, daughter of Leo Francis Carns and Estella Mae (Reeves) Carns, was born June 24, 1937, in Shannon City. She graduated from Arispe High School with the class of 1955. After graduation she began working for a store and nannying for the store owner’s children while living with them.
On Dec. 30, 1956, Shirley was united in marriage to Robert Charles Lininger at the Arispe United Methodist Church. From this union they were blessed with three children: Sandra, Brian and Stephen. They settled on the farm northwest of Diagonal where she worked as a farmwife and homemaker. Most importantly, she was an active mother, even serving as head of the PTA while her children were in school. With hard work like canning, gardening and baking for her family also came fun hobbies like quilting and perfecting her candy and pie recipes.
In 2013, they moved to Creston following retirement. She and Robert were members of the Platte Center Church where she served as a Sunday school teacher, vacation Bible school teacher and an elder.
“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Survivors include her daughter Sandra (John) Matthews of Smithville, Missouri; two sons, Brian (Shannon) Lininger of New Boston, Illinois, and Stephen (Amy) Lininger of Spring Hill, Tennessee; sister-in-law Patricia (Cliff) Huntington of Omaha, Nebraska; six grandchildren: Cole Matthews of Wichita, Kansas, Collin Lininger of Parkville, Missouri, Brooklyn Lininger of Iowa City and Macy, Cass and Jack Lininger, all of Spring Hill.
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents; husband Robert in October; her siblings: Violet Carns Lopez, Leo Junior Carns and Richard Eugene Carns; her mother- and father-in-law and sister-in-law Phyllis (Marion) Saffell