Jun. 4, 1938 - Dec. 31, 2025
Date of Service: Jan. 8, 2026
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BOISE - Shirley Knopp Harris passed away Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, at Ashley Manor Memory Care in Boise, Idaho, where she resided since June 2024. She was 87 years old at the time of her passing and lived in Cassia County in Burley, Idaho, as a longtime resident prior to the necessity for specialized residential care due to declining health and dementia.
Shirley was born June 4, 1938, in Burley, Idaho, to her loving parents, Adolph and Mollie (Weber) Knopp. She was the youngest of five children consisting of two brothers and three sisters. Harry and Don were the first two born, respectively, and then Larine, Delores, and Shirley were next in succession to make their family complete. Shirley was born at the home of her parents in Burley and grew up southeast of Burley on the family farm.
Shirley was baptized at the Ebenezer Congregational Church at Paul, Idaho, which later became known as the Paul Congregational Church. Her family were devout Christians and enjoyed membership at this church. Later in Shirley’s life, and as the congregation grew, Shirley attended a sister church which opened in Burley initially called the Congregational Bible Church of Burley and was later named Crossroads Bible Church.
Shirley attended elementary school in the Springdale area and later, as she was older, attended school at Burley for her secondary education completing 11th grade at Burley High School. Clinton L. Harris and his twin brother, Clifford Harris, came to Burley in 1953 with other members of the Wayne and Mable Harris family. By destiny, Clinton and Shirley met and fell in love. Clinton Harris and Shirley Knopp were married August 16, 1955, and shared 66 years of marriage together prior to her beloved husband Clint’s passing on Nov. 11, 2021. Being a widow was a big adjustment for Shirley, but she gracefully accepted what could not be changed and adapted to living without him despite constantly yearning for him.
Clint and Shirley became proud parents to a son, Kevin, in September of 1956, and another son, Dennis, was born in January of 1958. They resided in Burley as newlyweds and young parents until 1960 when they and their two sons moved to Indio, California. They resided in California for a total of nine years where they added other children to their family. Doug was born in April 1962 and Linda, their only daughter, was born in March of 1964.
Shirley was a homemaker at this time and their livelihood as a family came from Clinton’s employment at Pacific Gas & Electric known as PG&E. It was a good occupation and provided for the family; however, it involved various transfers throughout the State of California requiring re-location annually which became increasingly harder as their family grew. In 1969 the family moved back to Burley and resided southeast of Burley in the Unity area. The final child in their family was born in October of 1972 and was named Shane after one of Clinton and Shirley’s favorite western movies. It was a perfect number of children to complete the family as Shirley came from a family of five and was also the mother of five children which she considered a gift of God as one of life’s greatest blessings. Having four sons and one daughter kept Shirley busy in her primary role as “homemaker.” Shirley is the grandmother of Michelle, Melanie, Sean, Jamie, Kerry, Oliven, and Kayla. Her seven grandchildren cherished her, and they all have many treasured memories of times spent with their grandma. In addition, Shirley was blessed to have 14 great-grandchildren and a bonus addition of one great-great-grandchild. She thought all the children were great in her eyes! There is a saying, “In every memory we keep a piece of our loved ones alive, forever etched in our hearts!” Another says, “Loved ones may leave this world but they never leave our hearts!” Shirley Knopp Harris will always be loved, never forgotten, and forever missed; treasured as a child, a sister, a wife, a mother, and a grandmother.
Shirley worked outside the home when the children were in school or were more independent at various times in her life. She worked for the Cassia County School District at Burley High School in the lunchroom, also working for several years for the M.H. King Company at the King’s Store in Burley, as well as at the Valley Wholesale Warehouse assisting with order procurement for the various M.H. King’s stores throughout Idaho. Shirley enjoyed the friendships and affiliation she had with her colleagues or other employees at her jobs. While Shirley was naturally quiet by nature, she had a zest for life and had a pleasant, fun-spirited personality. She was kind, considerate, loving, and a hard worker – whether it be at home or at her job.
Shirley especially loved times spent with family in day-to-day living or for special occasions such as camping, fishing, picnics, barbecues, or daily walks with her sisters who resided very near to one another within walking distance. Shirley was an immaculate housekeeper and would be teased about washing or wiping the countertops so much that she was rubbing the finish off. She was not only skilled at cleanliness and the need for it, but she excelled in organization. Everything had a place and everything was in its place! Her home was beautifully decorated, comfortable, and welcoming to all who entered. Shirley was also an amazing cook and enjoyed preparing delicious meals for her family and baking sweet treats which did not last long! Due to her German heritage, the family especially enjoyed when she offered some of their favorite family recipes or prepared dishes as handed down by her mother and others in the family of similar descent. Shirley liked listening to country music and playing the piano, specifically church hymns, mostly. Her favorite song that she talked about playing and really liked was the “Black Hawk Waltz” in addition to the hymn, “How Great Thou Art.” Shirley loved playing card games as well as board games with Scrabble being a favorite. Another personal enjoyment was completing jigsaw puzzles and doing various puzzles like crossword puzzles or word searches. Having a garden and utilizing the produce harvested was a highlight in her life. Shirley adored simple pleasures like the beauty of her flowers, especially the bright yellow and big blossoms of her First Lady Marigolds, plus a beautiful yard outdoors to enjoy with views of mountain grandeur to the south of their home. No wonder she loved the saying, “There is no place like home!” Now she is at home in her place of eternal rest, in heaven with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! We celebrate Shirley’s life and give God thanks for the many blessings that He bestowed upon her. We also cherish that God has been a source of comfort and strength for Shirley as she endured many years of failing health throughout her body and involving varied sources of serious health concerns; yet, with the help of faith, family, and health professionals, Shirley had graciously and courageously faced or lived through her infirmities with a failing body and mind. One of the most devastating challenges was her diagnosis and progression of dementia coping with the consistent decline which Shirley adjusted to in accordance to the best of her abilities to do so.
Shirley is survived by her five children, Kevin (Sheryl) Harris of Rupert, Dennis (Joni) Harris of Meridian, Doug (Mary) Harris of Cheney, Washington, Linda (James) MacIsaac of Boise, and Shane Harris of Boise. She is survived by six grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; a sister, Delores Carson; sisters-in-law, Nelda Knopp and Thelma Knopp; a brother-in-law, Lon (Patti) Harris of South Lake Tahoe, California; and sisters-in-law, Leona Harris of Gardnerville, Nevada, and Suzanne Harris of Anacortes, Washington.
Preceded in death is Shirley’s husband, Clinton L. Harris; her parents, Adolph and Mollie (Weber) Knopp; siblings, Harry Knopp, Don Knopp, Larine (Ruben) Heinze; brother-in-law, Larry Carson; a granddaughter, Kayla Liehe; her husband’s parents, in-laws Wayne and Mable Harris; sister-in-law, Donna (Bud) Ross; and brothers-in-law, Clifford Harris and Ron Harris.
The family expresses sincere appreciation to the doctors, nurses, and staff of the various hospitals or health care providers who have assisted Shirley over the course of her lifetime. We especially want to acknowledge extreme gratitude to Countryside Care and Rehabilitation in Rupert, and to Dr. Walter Graham, long-term physician, who treated Shirley with genuine care and concern, always striving to assist with actions in Shirley’s best interest in a loving and professional manner. We thank Ashley Manor Memory Care-Elgin in Boise for their compassionate care and service since June 2024 when Shirley became a resident there. The family is appreciative to Enhabit Hospice for their assistance in Shirley’s last 24 hours of her life when her passing was imminent. These teams of people and caregivers helped to enrich Shirley’s life and helped at a time when they were most needed, treating Shirley with dignity and compassion, making her feel safe, secure, and comfortable.
The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, January 8, 2026, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, located at 1350 E. 16th Street, in Burley, where family and friends will be received from 10 until 10:45 a.m. Burial will follow at Pleasant View Cemetery in Burley.
A live webcast of the Funeral Service will be available and maintained at the following link: https://youtu.be/u1cxIg1GaMM.
