CORTLAND, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Shirlee Zoba, 90 of Cortland, entered Heaven on Saturday, October 28, 2023, after a brief illness with her daughter by her side.

Shirlee was born on a perfect summer day, July 10, 1933, in Warren to Stanley and Anna Klutch.

Shirlee was a 1951 graduate of Warren G. Harding. She helped plan and celebrate their 72nd class reunion this past June.

Throughout her life, Shirlee held several occupations including a phone operator at Ohio Edison, medical transcriber, realtor, medical assistant and hairdresser. She finished her working career as “Girl Friday” with Mac Plumbing. If you called into Mac Plumbing during the 90s and early 2000s you would surely recall her sweet voice answering the phone.

In July of 1954 she married Eugene (Gene) Zoba. They celebrated 60 years of marriage before his passing in 2013.

Shirlee thoroughly enjoyed life. She was a devout Christian and could be considered a devout bingo player. She really did love her bingo – where she met some of her closest and dearest friends. She filled her days spending time with her close friends playing bingo, pinochle and weekly supper with “the girls”. Her charm had an effect on everyone she met. Her laugh could reverse all sadness and could be picked up out of a crowd. Her independent spirit and tenacity have been passed on to her daughter and granddaughters. During her 90 earthly years there was never a challenge she steered away from or a pair of shoes she could say no to. She had a thirst for knowledge and new adventures. Shirlee was truly one-of-a-kind and had a loving and generous soul. You couldn’t help but love her.

Her kind heart, loving spirit and infectious zest for life will be deeply missed by her daughter, Heather (Zoba) DeMalio; son-in-law, Dr. Mark DeMalio; granddaughters, Isabella DeMalio and Mia DeMalio; grandsons, Charles Anderson and David Anderson; granddaughter, Amanda West; nieces, Kathy (Fischer) Hagan and Brook (Evans) Altier; nephews, Dennis Fischer, Robert Fischer and Gerard Fischer; extended family and her very near and dear friends.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene (Gene); her daughter, Hope Alford; her sister, Constance (Connie) Fischer; her brother, Stanley (Bob) Klutch and her sister, Judith (Judee) Evans.

A celebration of life memorial will be held on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at Carl W. Hall Funeral Home, 533 North Park Avenue, Warren, OH 44481.

In lieu of flowers, Shirlee’s family suggests contributions be made in her name to Hospice of Valley, 979 Tibbetts Wick Road, Suite A, Girard, OH 44420.

A television tribute will air Tuesday, October 31 at the following approximate times: 6:47 a.m. on WYTV, 9:43 a.m. on WKBN, 10:58 a.m. on FOX and 8:12 p.m. on MyYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.