Shirley Mary (Doran) Marcil

Faith, family, music, and education were foremost in Shirley’s life. She was born in



Omaha to Terese Larkin Doran and William P. Doran. As a blue-eyed girl with long,



dark curls, Shirley won 4th place in the Shirley Temple look-alike contest held by the



Omaha World-Herald in 1935. She attended St. John’s Grade School in Omaha, where



she met her future husband, John W. Marcil, in the first grade. After graduating from St.



John’s High School in 1948, Shirley attended Duchesne College, Creighton University,



and the Dickinson College of Business, where she graduated in 1951. For the next three



years, Shirley taught business courses (typing and business English) at both the



Dickinson College of Business and St. John’s High School. Shirley received Latin and



voice lessons while growing up, and played the piano by ear. For over 10 years (1947 to



1957) she was a soloist, often at St. John’s Church, for many weddings, funerals, and



Masses. Shirley married her long time sweetheart, John (Jack) Marcil, in 1954 at St.



John’s Church, when he was an Officer in the U.S. Navy. They relocated to Norfolk,



Virginia, for a short time, until John was transferred to Fort Omaha for the remainder of



his enlistment. While John focused on his next career in accounting and finance at the



Omaha Public Power District, Shirley found her life’s vocation as the mother and first



teacher of their six children, attending many church and school events, sporting



competitions, recitals, and fund/friend raising activities. Shirley had an artistic side in



addition to her musical talent, so she excelled at decorating, fashion, entertaining, and



cooking. This meant that wonderful family gatherings were her specialty. She was



gratified to be honored as Mother of the Year in 2006 by Essential Pregnancy Services



(EPS). In her large extended Irish Catholic family, Shirley counted 10 family members



that she helped to provide care for when they became infirm. She was a member of St.



Margaret Mary Church for 45 years, and enjoyed participating in the SMM Ladies Guild.



Shirley was proud of the 10 years that she and Jack spent assisting her brother, Rev.



William J. Doran, S.J., with the Ignatian Couples Retreats at the Columban Fathers



Retreat Center in Bellevue, Nebraska, and the Saint Benedict Center in Schyler,



Nebraska. Shirley and Jack were blessed with 57 years of marriage. Preceded in death



by her husband, parents, brother, and grandson, Michael Belatti. She is survived by her



children: Michaela (Dr. Richard) Belatti, Marise McCabe (Welling) Fruehauf, Michon



Marcil (Timothy) Abts, Michael (Deborah) Marcil, Dr. William (Sandra) Marcil, Johnna



(David) Eck, of Omaha. Grandchildren surviving are Daniel (Heidi) Belatti, Thomas



Belatti, Jack (Maren) McCabe, Marin (Michael) Mathien, Kaela McCabe, Evie Abts,



John Abts, Haley Eck, and stepgrandchildren, Danny Poledna and Tommy Poledna.



Great-grandchildren surviving are Caroline McCabe and Will McCabe. Also survived by



sister-in-law, Mary Sheil, of Omaha, brother-in-law, Albert Marcil, of Fort Mitchell,



Kentucky, sister-in-law, Rita O’Connell, of Pensacola, Florida, and many nieces,



nephews, cousins, and friends. The family wishes to thank the doctors, the nurses, and the



staff at Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center and Methodist Hospital for their great compassion and expertise.



Services:

Services, Thursday, 10:00A.M. at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church.



Visitation:

Visitation begins Wednesday at 5:00 P.M. at the John A. Gentleman Mortuaries, 72nd Street Chapel, 1010 North 72 Street Omaha, NE. 68114 with a Wake Service at 7:00 P.M.