Funeral Details

Jan and Terry (and the rest of the family),
Our deepest sympathies. I was glad to see your mother last week. She still had her wonderful sense of humor. It brought back good memories from long ago. All our best.
John and Kay

John Alexander

Shirley and. I spent many years together at. Ketura Hadassah. We did luncheons together and many other projects. I was at her house many times for holidays and sharing their delicious potatoe pancakes which thrr ed y made hundreds of. She was a lovely person and. I will miss her very much. May she rest in peace. Sydgeo@aol.com.

Sydelle Richard

Derdiger family,
I am so sorry to hear about your dear mother, grandmother and great grandmother BDE. Pam , I was in ICJA with you but only my senior year. I remember your incredible energy and smile. May Hashem comfort all your families among all the other mourners of Jerusalem.

Edith Aranoff

Shirley worked hard for Hadassah as long as I can remember. She played Rummikub up to her passing. She used to arrange our Sukkot meetings at her Lincolnwood congregation synagogue Sukkah. She had a wonderful caregiver, Gigi, who helped her devotedly in her last years. May Shirley’s memory be a blessing!
Ronnie Jo Sokol

Ronnie Jo Sokol

Shirley was truly a mother to many—warm, generous, and quietly strong. Despite her health challenges, she displayed grace and resilience that inspired everyone who loved her.

Each spring, we planted flowers together in her garden, always seeking her blessing on the colors and blooms we picked. It was a small but meaningful ritual, one of the many ways she guided us. Now, as spring comes again, we wonder how we will hear her voice — but trust that, somehow, her presence will still be there among the flowers.

This year and in the years ahead, those blooms will remind us of her kindness, nurturing spirit, and the beauty she brought into our lives.

In her honor, we send our heartfelt Tanchumin to her family. May her memory forever be a blessing.

Brian and Mitch

Brian Dirsmith Mitchell Orr

Eulogy for Shirley
Dearest Pam,
I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of your mother.
It feels a bit strange to say that she was my "friend" given the decades between our ages, but that is exactly what she was. She was a true friend—geographically distant, perhaps, but always very close to my heart.
Shirley and Dudley were such kind-hearted, generous, and incredibly friendly people. They truly loved others. I had the privilege of staying at their home and experiencing that warmth and kindness firsthand. You were there too, Pam—I'm sure you remember our trip together to the Great America water park.
Every time we spoke, especially on the phone, the conversation just flowed. She was always sincerely interested in my family—my parents, my children—and she remembered everyone. It was never just out of politeness; it was genuine care. She would tell me about her life in Chicago, sharing both the good times and the challenges, always candidly and without filters.
She spoke so modestly about her community work, but I always knew that what she shared was only a small fraction of her immense contribution. She truly loved life and knew how to make the most of it. She spent many beautiful years with your father, and twenty-one years without him. It is not easy to build an independent life after such a long and close partnership, but she did so remarkably.
Pam, you were there for her until her very last day. It was a great privilege to care for her, and you fulfilled it with such nobility, respect, and deep consideration.
I will always cherish the memory of both your parents. They will remain a life-long example to me of what it means to give to others and how to nurture true human connections.
May Shirley’s memory be a blessing.

Micha Amir

Hello,
I am Terry Derdiger’s brother, John. My deepest sympathy. I will always remember Shirley’s happy voice and her inquisitive style. All my best.

John Majeski

So sorry to hear of passing of your mom
Such fond memories of family events at her home
My sympathy and prayer to the family

Bonny Eckstein

I was sorry to not attend in person (I am ill). My deepest sympathies to the family and especially to my dear friend, Pam. The longer our loved ones are with us, the more they have partaken in our lives and often times, harder to let go. Your mom is resting in peace and know she loved you and the family. May you and your family find comfort and peace because that's what she would have wanted. I don't pretend to know what happens once our loved ones are gone but I would like to believe they are with us until the end of our lives. Love you!

loni ulrich

Pam
I’m so sorry about your mom’s passing. I have really fond memories of her over our years together at LJC and school. She was very sweet and always friendly to me. Wishing you comfort in all the good memories and life lessons you received. Brad.

Bradley Alter