Shirley Mae Vap, 69, of Colby, died Saturday, July 23, 2022, at Citizens Medical Center, Colby. She was born December 21, 1952, in Atwood, KS, to Orvis “O.L.” and Veda (Henningsen) Nelson. Shirley attended Valley View Country Grade School and Atwood High School, graduating with the class of 1970. She went on to attend Colby Community College then dental school, in Denver, CO. On March 18, 1974, Shirley married Dale Vap, in Wichita, KS and they had one daughter, Michele. Shirley worked as a teller at Bank West from 1979-1985 and provided home milk delivery services. In 1985, in addition to their farming, Dale and Shirley started Vap Distributing, a milk wholesale and delivery business. In her spare time, Shirley enjoyed hosting poker night and traveling with Dale in their motorhome, especially to NASCAR races and Chiefs games.
She was preceded in death by her parents; infant brother David Nelson and brother-in-law Patrick Kania.
She is survived by her husband Dale, of Colby; daughter Michele De Waal and husband Ian, of St. Francis, KS, and children Clay De Waal, Coy De Waal, Bree De Waal and Shelby (C.J.) Shaffer; brother D.J. Nelson, of Ludell; sisters, Jane (Skip) McCain, of Atwood, KS and Joann Kania, of Newbury, OH and nephews, Trent McCain, of Colby, Zack and Alex Kania, both of Newbury, OH.
Visitation is 5-7:00 p.m. Thursday, July 28, 2022, at Baalmann Mortuary, Colby. Funeral Service is 10:00 a.m. Friday, July 29, 2022, also at the Mortuary, with burial in Lone Star Cemetery, Rawlins County, KS. Memorials may be made to the Northwest Kansas Foundation for Hope and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701