Sublette - Shirley Earlene Passow (Hoffman), age 89, died at Gateway Gardens assisted living facility in Marble Falls, Texas on December 5, 2024. She was born January 7, 1935 in Satanta, Kansas to Lila Maude (Lindeman) and Earl Ulysses Hoffman.

Shirley lived and grew up in Sublette, Kansas with her two older brothers, Richard and Randall. The family moved into town from the Hoffman farm when she was in elementary school. She had fond childhood memories of riding around in her dad's old Desoto. Growing up, Shirley liked music and played the piano for many years. In high school, she enjoyed playing the trombone in the marching band and spending time with her friends. After graduating from Sublette High School in 1953 she spent time living and working in Oklahoma. There, she met William Joseph "Bill" Passow and they married on October 28, 1960 in Perry, Oklahoma. They had 2 children, Michael and Lanette, before moving to Edmond, Oklahoma.

After Bill joined the US Army in 1966, Shirley became an active duty Army wife as well as full-time mother. She became an expert at balancing the daily demands of raising two children while moving every year from one Army base to another across the country. Each of the three times Bill was deployed overseas she moved back to Sublette to continue raising the kids with the support of extended family and friends. After Bill left the military in 1973, the family moved back to Sublette where Bill ran their small farm south of town, and Shirley ran their restaurant, the Red Barn Drive-In. Shirley always had a great love for food and she made sure everything served at the restaurant, even though it was fast food, was always top quality.

While the kids were in college, Shirley and Bill moved to Marble Falls, Texas in 1988, where they both worked until Bill passed away in 1991. Shirley continued working in various retail settings until retiring from HEB after 24 years of service. She spent the next few years enjoying retirement in Kingsland, Texas until moving into assisted living in Marble Falls in 2014. While at Gateway Gardens, Shirley enjoyed many group activities, especially those including musical performances and any party or event where food was served. She enjoyed doing word search puzzles and her TV was always on, usually set to the food channel. Shirley's door was always open so she could easily interact with anyone passing by. She enjoyed the team at Gateway Gardens and was always appreciative of their help and support during her time there.

She is survived by her son, Michael Passow and husband Eric Amaral of West Hurley, NY; granddaughter Stephanie Passow Vitalis and husband John Vitalis of Easley, SC; great grandson, Joseph Vitalis of Easley, SC; son-in-law, Jon Martin of Pratt, KS; and multiple nieces and nephews and their families. She is preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Maude Hoffman; daughter, Lanette Martin;  brothers, Richard Hoffman and Randall Hoffman; and sisters-in-law, Frances Hoffman and Vivian Hoffman.

Friends may call from 4 to 7pm on Friday, December 13th at Swaim Funeral Chapel, 115 S. Inman in Sublette. A graveside service will take place on Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 11 AM at the Haskell County Cemetery, with Pastor David Erwin presiding.  In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributing to the Hereditary Neurological Disease Centre (HNDC), 9300 E. 29th St N, Suite 350, Wichita, KS, 67226, a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt organization focusing on supporting individuals with Huntington Disease and their families. (https://www.huntingtonsdiseaseclinic.com/donate). Thoughts and memories may be shared in the online guest book at www.swaimfuneralhome.com.