Washington, Utah - Shirley Ann Rowe Hamblin, age 83, returned to her Heavenly Father January 27, 2013 following a stroke. She was born October 22, 1929 in Butte, Montana, daughter of Edmund L. Rowe and Mona Young Rowe Henderson.

Shirley spent a wonderful childhood in Wenatchee, Washington, moving to Seattle when she was a teenager. She graduated from Franklin High School in Seattle. In high school, she sang in operettas and with a special group of nine girls from the choir named "The Nonnettes". They entertained at hospitals and other civic groups.

Shirley was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She loved the gospel and had a firm and strong testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. During her lifetime she served in many church callings.

She attended Brigham Young University and was fortunate to sing with a special group of singers under the direction of Florence Jepperson Madsen. It was at BYU that she met and fell in love with a handsome football and basketball player, Jay Hamblin. They were married in the Logan Temple on August 2, 1948.

Shirley worked at the First Security Bank in Provo Utah and later as a clerk in the offices of Geneva Steel during the two years while Jay was completing his education at BYU. After Jay's graduation, they lived in Murray and Morgan, Utah, Great Falls, Montana, Bellevue, Washington, Wichita, Kansas, Van Nuys, California and then back to Bellevue for 35 years. They moved to Washington, Utah in 2003.

Wherever they lived Shirley sang in duets, trios and quartets. While living in Wichita she even sang as a soloist with a band. She loved being a stay-at-home mom and was the very best mother anyone could have. Her children were very special and meant everything to her. She loved parties, friends and especially entertaining in her home and attending cultural events.

She worked for 13 years at the Boeing Company in Renton and Bellevue, Washington, most of the time as a Lobby Receptionist for Boeing Computer Services. Her greatest joy was having her children and grandchildren, relatives and friends come to visit and they were always welcome. She loved traveling. She and Jay were blessed many opportunities for this adventure in life ..Hawaii, Mexico, Rome, London, Paris and Switzerland. Living in Southern Utah was a joy in her life as well, enjoying the sunshine almost every day, but she missed her children and grandchildren very much. She loved her friends and valued their friendships. Her greatest joy was her relationship with Jay. Their love became stronger as they grew older and each day they were together was special and wonderful to them.

Shirley sang in the Alto and Tenor sections with the Southern Utah Heritage Choir in St. George, Utah beginning in 2004. It was one of the most glorious experiences in her life. Her grandmother and great-grandmother both sang with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Although it would have been wonderful to have sung with that that choir, she thought the Southern Utah Heritage was just as fulfilling. She felt she was in training to audition for a heavenly choir. The mission of the choir was to bring people closer to Christ and felt each time the choir performed it fulfilled that role. She sang with the Heritage Choir in Salt Lake City Tabernacle in June 2004 to participate in a commemoration for the US Mormon Battalion. She was privileged to again sing with the Choir on an "American Heritage Tour" in cities such as Washington D.C., Mt. Vernon, Philadelphia and Valley Forge. The choir responded to an invitation to perform in the National Cathedral in Washington D.D., other venues occurred: e.g., the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Washington D.C. Temple Visitors Center, the Lincoln, Jefferson and Gettysburg Memorials, the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and Valley Forge. What a thrill it was for her to be able to sing Patriotic songs celebrating this great land of freedom.

Shirley is survived by her husband, E. Jay Hamblin of Coral Canyon, Washington, Utah: four children: Jody Sears (John) of Herriman, Utah; Randy Hamblin (Nancy) of Coupeville, Washington; Susan Lawrence (Paul) of Issaquah, Washington; and Scott Hamblin (Carrie) of Issaquah Washington; 23 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and one sister, Allene Zitting of Washington, Utah. She was preceded in death by her parents Edmund L. Rowe and Mona Rowe Howard.

She will be dearly missed by her family and friends.

Funeral Services will be held Thursday, January 31, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. at the Coral Canyon LDS 1 ^st Ward Chapel, 1950 North Coral Canyon Blvd., Washington, Utah. A visitation will be held Thursday, prior to services, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Chapel. Interment will follow services at the Washington City Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to the care of Metcalf Mortuary, (435) 673-4221.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made, in Shirley's name to: Kids2families (www.kids2families.org), to Humanitarian Aid or Perpetual Education Fund for the LDS Church at www.LDS.org or to the Southern Utah Heritage Choir, PO Box 3281, St. George, Utah 84771.