Shirley Ensley of Colfax, died peacefully in her sleep on March 28, 2026 at age 98.

Shirley was born the fifth of six children to C.F. “Red” and Mae Metcalf in Libby, Montana on August 4, 1927. During Shirley’s early childhood the family prospered but in the mid-1930s the economics of the great depression prompted a move to a hardscrabble farmstead between Libby and Kalispel. Shirley attended school in Libby through her junior high years, boarding in town during the week. She attended high school in Kalispel, graduating in 1946. She earned her keep while in high school as a nanny of sorts for two little girls whom she maintained a friendship with for many years.

Following high school Shirley worked as a switchboard operator in Ellensburg, Washington. By her account she “liked the people but not the job” and eventually moved back to Kalispel.

She married Milton Ensley, Jr. in December, 1948, “in the middle of a blizzard.” They first made their home on the family farm south of Colfax. In these early years three of their five children were born, Gwen in 1950, Bruce in 1951, and Keith in 1953. Shirley raised chickens, canned produce from her garden, and looked after her growing family. She did refuse to milk the cow however.

They left the farm in 1954 for Spokane where Milton attended Whitworth college in preparation for attending seminary and the ministry. A fourth child, Timothy was born in 1955. In 1957, the family moved to Willmore, Kentucky where Milton attended one year of seminary followed by a move to Berkley, California, for a second year, and then to Belvedere-Tiberon, California, where their youngest, David was born in 1959.

A succession of pastorates followed Milton’s completion of seminary in the Spring of 1961. As a pastor’s wife, Shirley found herself living in the following places: Camarillo and Fillmore, California, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Umatilla, Oregon, and Yarnell Arizona. Following Milton’s retirement, the couple returned to the family farm and Shirley became a farm wife again. They also kept a winter home on the outskirts of Phoenix until Milton’s death in 2013.

Shirley was a devoted wife and mother. During Milton’s college and seminary years, she took on sewing and ironing to help with the family finances. After the children were raised, she took up quilting as a hobby and became skilled at it. She made friends easily, and made at least one lifelong friend in every place they lived. She enjoyed traveling. She and Milton took two trips to Europe, and visited the Holy Land twice. They made several trips to Hawaii. She loved reading and she would sometimes begin and complete a single book in a day. In her final years, Shirley enjoyed nothing as much as visits from the grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Shirley is survived by her five children; Gwen (Ryan) of Spokane, Bruce of Colfax, Keith of San Diego, California, Tim (Annie) and David (Tina) of Eugene, Oregon; nine grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her siblings, a daughter-in-law and one grandchild.

A graveside service will be held at 10:00 AM at Onecho Cemetery on Friday, May 8, followed by a memorial service at Onecho Bible Church at 11:00 AM.

The family would like to acknowledge the Courtyard management and staff (past and present) and the doctors, nurses, and staff at the Whitman Hospital whose kindness and care has been greatly appreciated.

For those interested in making donations in Shirley’s memory, the family suggests the Onecho Bible Church, the Union Gospel Mission, or the Whitman Hospital Foundation.