Shirley Mae (Tisch) Case Niles

Shirley Mae Tisch Case Niles, 91, of Mentor, passed away on November 24, 2023 at David Simpson Hospice House in Cleveland, Ohio.  She was born April 23, 1932, the daughter of Kenneth and Cleo Tisch.

A 1950 Jefferson High School graduate, she worked in the County Clerk’s office until her marriage to Stewart M. Case on November 4, 1951.  The couple lived in Jefferson until his death in January 2012.  On April 6, 2013, she married her high school friend, Edward B. Niles, and moved to Painesville, Ohio, where she lived until his death in September 2022.  Near the end of her life, she moved into an independent living facility in Mentor, Ohio, where she reconnected with old friends and made new ones.

Shirley dedicated her life to her family.  From being a homeroom mother to her children when they were in school to snuggling her great-grandbabies at holiday gatherings, she rarely missed an important milestone in her family’s lives.  She spent time working at the family-owned Case’s Drug Store, often bringing her children with her to play on blankets behind the counter.  Even in her early 80s, she was crawling around on the floor playing with her great-grandchildren, cheating at the board game Aggravation, and decorating dozens of cookies at Christmastime.  Her days as “Mom,” “Grandma,” and “Gigi” were filled with smiles, hugs, and “Love yas!”

Shirley’s love for her family was only matched by her calling to care for others.  She volunteered for many years with various organizations around Ashtabula County. She scheduled volunteers in the surgical wing at Ashtabula County Medical Center, registered donors for the American Red Cross, and was a 70+ member of the Covered Bridge Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, where she served as Deputy Grand Matron in 1974.  She was also active in the Jefferson PTA, the Church Belles at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Jefferson, the March of Dimes, and the Firejets, part of the Jefferson Volunteer Fire Department. 

Cooking and baking were two of her passions, and she was known for her sweet, gooey cinnamon rolls and special occasion cakes.  She provided food for the Jefferson Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce, and many friends in need.  An avid Ohio State football fan, she and Stew rarely missed a home football game, even traveling to California in 1997 to watch her beloved Buckeyes win one of many Rose Bowls.  When she could no longer attend the games in person, she coached from her couch loudly enough for the team to hear her in Columbus.  Stewart’s career as a pharmacist also allowed them to travel around the country and to other places in the world, including throughout Europe.       

Her survivors include her daughters, Sharon Taylor of Madison, Susan (Andrew) Fabrizi of Columbia Station, and Sandy Rovnak of North Canton; step-daughters Lynette Prisco of Cincinnati and Joni Niles of Madison; seven grandchildren and their spouses; eleven great-grandchildren; and siblings Joanne Martin and Ernest “Butch” Tisch.  She was preceded in death by her parents; siblings Donald, Wilma, and Eugene Tisch; husbands Stewart Case and Edward Niles; son Chuck Case; and son-in-law Ed Taylor. 

Calling hours will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 28th and from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, November 29th at the Fleming & Billman Funeral Home, 49 W. Jefferson Street, Jefferson.  A brief remembrance service will begin there at 11 a.m. with burial immediately following at Oakdale Cemetery, 328 N. Market Street in Jefferson. 

Contributions may be made to the Covered Bridge Chapter #591 OES, 2020 Tillotson Road, Ashtabula, Ohio 44004.

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