Shirley Rae Colgrove

On February 25, 2025, our beautiful, generous, faithful, loving and amazing mother, Shirley Rae (Blanchard) Colgrove, 85, from Bryan, Texas, departed this life peacefully, in the comfort of her home and surrounded by her loved ones.

Shirley is survived by her brother, Jerry Blanchard (wife Karen), her daughters, Robbin Colgrove, Kassie Savage (husband John), her grandchildren, Shane Savage and Kinsey Savage, and by many beloved nieces, nephews, their spouses, their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Shirley was born March 19, 1939, and grew up in the small town of Grafton, North Dakota, where she starred in school theater productions and was valedictorian of her high school class.

After a year in New York City, she returned to North Dakota where she met and married Dean Colgrove. They lived in Rochester, Minnesota before moving to Houston, TX with their daughters Robbin and Kassie in 1968.

Recognizing the need for communication in their new and growing community of southwest Houston, Shirley, never one to pass up a challenge, began publishing a community newsletter in 1969, serving 600 neighborhood homes. This newsletter, under her direction, developed into two thriving publications serving over 80,000 homes.

Many times during the 20 plus years she was a publisher, Shirley was recognized for excellence in her field, statewide, nationally, and internationally. The Texas House of Representatives recognized her community and statewide contributions by passing H.R. 200 declaring August 30, 1987, as “Shirley Colgrove Day.” She was interviewed and quoted in many prestigious publications including the Wall Street Journal. One of the national awards bestowed on her was called the “Man of the Year” award. When she won, the name had to be changed to “Publisher of the Year” so yes, while taking the newspaper industry by storm, she broke a few glass ceilings.

There was so much in life Shirley loved.

She loved her churches, including her childhood Lutheran Church in Grafton, the Houston church she was instrumental in founding, Canterbury United Methodist, and Reliance Baptist Church in Bryan, where she served on the Kitchen & Hospitality Committee. Shirley was always an active member who loved her church family.

She loved entertaining friends and celebrating the holidays with family. Her generosity shone most brightly during the holidays when her home was always open for any and all friends to join the celebration.

She loved world travel and collecting beautiful things, many with historic significance. A favorite was her collection of over 300 Christmas nativities. The collection grew through her travels, and through gifts from family and friends over the years. She often said she loved the nativity collection most because “each one of them is unique and different yet they all tell the same story: the story of the birth of Christ.”

We would be remiss not to mention how much she loved all the fur babies in her life. Mostly the puppies, from great Danes to tiny toy poodles, and also the horses and hedgehogs, the potbelly pigs and pygmy goats, and so many more. She loved them and spoiled them all.

But, of all the things she loved, she loved her two daughters, her grandson, and her granddaughter the most. Her gifts to us were unconditional love, unwavering faith, strong work ethic and teaching us to find joy in everything we do. She supported and found joy in all her family’s endeavors from ranching, riding and showing horses to movie acting, costume design, photography, and dinner parties. She encouraged and participated in all we loved because she loved us unconditionally.

She once said her daughters were “as opposite as two ends of the rainbow, which kept her life interesting.” And what an interesting and full life it was! Her message to all was simple—work hard, love always, enjoy the ride and stay closest to your family, friends, and faith.

A memorial celebration of Shirley’s life will be held on Friday, April 11 beginning at 4:30 p.m. at Reliance Baptist Church, 6925 Reliance Church Rd, Bryan, TX 77808. After the memorial service, her family invites you to a celebratory dinner featuring many of Shirley’s favorite foods.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Reliance Baptist Church, in memory of Shirley Colgrove.