Shelley R. (Tague) Dunaway, 64, of Hiawatha, Kansas, was called to be with her Lord on the 3rd of May, 2019, at KU Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, after suffering from complications stemming from her second courageous battle with cancer.

Shelley was born on 11 September 1954 in Fort Dodge, Iowa to Oral V. and Joyce M. (Baker) Tague. She began her schooling in Fort Dodge, Iowa and then after moving with her family to several places, finished High School at Abraham Lincoln in Council Bluffs, Iowa. While still in High School, and before attending Nurses training, Shelley met her future husband Michael, who had just enlisted in the Marine Corps days before they met.

In August, 1975, following their wedding in Council Bluffs, Shelley accompanied Michael to Jacksonville, NC, where she continued her nursing career. Later that year, she began her first battle with cancer.

After intensive treatment at Bethesda, Maryland, Shelley’s cancer went into remission. In 1977, she gave birth to James, the first of her two sons. During their time in the service, they moved from Jacksonville to Quantico, Virginia, then to Parris Island, South Carolina, then to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, then to Okinawa, Japan and finally, to Yuma, Arizona, where, Shelley gave birth to their second son, Corey.

Over time, Shelley gave up her nursing career to focus on her family. She became the consummate military spouse, tirelessly supporting Michael in his service to his country; while at the same time supporting the communities they were sent to through volunteer work. Although Shelley enjoyed every duty station and made each one ‘home,’ she especially enjoyed their tour in Japan, where she taught English in an Okinawan Pre School and immersed herself in the Okinawan culture.

In 1992, upon leaving active duty, Shelley and Mike ‘retired’ to a farmstead in Manilla, Iowa, to be closer to her parents and siblings. There, they got an opportunity to not only watch crops and livestock grow, but also the children; theirs and their nieces and nephews as well. Shelley enjoyed this immensely and she rarely missed any of the kid’s activities. She found 4-H events, county fairs, dance recitals, speech contests and local sporting events every bit as interesting and exciting as the Air Shows, the Silent Drill Team performances, or any of the other unique things she had been privileged to see while in the military.

In 2003 Shelley and Mike left Manilla to serve in the ministry. When detached retinas threatened his ministerial training, Shelley became his eyes. She read literally hundreds of pages of various things to him as she assisted him with his prescribed classwork and helped prepare him for oral examinations. Even after Mike’s eyes healed and he returned to his studies, Shelley continued to delve into Scripture. Although she never aspired to be a Pastor’s wife, after his graduation, she gracefully assumed that role. Her humble and loving spirit coupled with an extraordinary grasp of Scripture served her well in that capacity. As before, she made her ‘home’ wherever the Lord sent them and she put her unique gifts to work wherever she could. In Saint Louis she volunteered at the International Center and in Hiawatha, she devoted herself to as many Church activities as her health would tolerate.

Shelley loved to volunteer, at both church and in the community. She was an avid advocate for the Special Olympics and an active participant in projects dedicated to the care of cancer survivors. In addition to being an avid reader, Shelley also enjoyed roller skating, bowling, boating, motorcycle riding and camping.

But, of all the things that have brought Shelley pleasure, nothing compared to the joy she found in her sons, James and Corey, and in James’ lovely wife Jocelynn and her two beautiful daughters…Layton and Saylor. treasured these gifts very much, describing them as, “the greatest gifts she ever received.”

Shelley was preceded in death by her father, Oral Tague, whose funeral service was just this past Saturday. She is survived by her husband Michael, of the home; sons James (Jocelynn), of Gladstone, Missouri, and Corey, of Hiawatha, Kansas; and granddaughters… Layton Rae and Saylor Mae; her mother Joyce Tague of Council Bluffs, IA, sisters Linda (Paul) Geer of Sioux City, IA; Vicki (Duane) Stangel of Manilla, IA; Shirley (Dale) Meiners also of Manilla; and several nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Shelley’s Eternal Life service is planned for 1030, 14 May, 2019 at Zion Lutheran Church, 613 South First Street, Hiawatha, Kansas. Visitation will be held at the Church an hour before the service.

Shelley’s family thanks all who reached out to Shelley during her illness in any way. We especially thank the staff of the Hiawatha Hospital, the Town and Country Ambulance Service team and the Doctors and Nurses at KU Medical Center; for all that they respectively did for Shelley during her illness. We will always carry the memory of their service for Shelley in our hearts.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Missy Newell Memorial Fund or the NEK Lutheran Parsonage.  Memorials are to be sent to the
Chapel Oaks Funeral Home,124 S 7th St, Hiawatha, KS 66434

Shelley especially loved the Gospel of John and in view of all the medical challenges she faced, she was particularly drawn to the words Jesus spoke to His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane following His final Passion prediction, where after telling them how they would all soon abandon Him, He said:

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

In the world, Shelley did have tribulation; but, in Christ, she too has overcome the world.

Friends may call at Chapel Oaks Funeral Home after 10 a.m. Monday.www.chapeloaksfuneralhome.com