Shirley Marco Kulwin

Shirley M. Kulwin died on Wednesday, December 10th, 2025. She was born on May 15th, 1935 to Jack and Sadye Marco in Champaign, Illinois. She had an older sister Jewel M. Kurland who proceeded her death along with her parents. 

As a child growing up in Champaign Illinois she was on the Swim Team at the Champaign Country Club. When she was a child during World War II she collected comic books and paper for her family’s scrap yard for the Paper Drive. She also loved to play golf. She was an avid athlete. She was President of Junior Class at University High School in Urbana, Illinois. A few years ago she was the proud recipient of the Max Biberman Award at Uni High. Shirley treasured her friendships she made at Uni High. She was also active in the Illinois Young Jewish Federation where she and her friends would put on skits. After graduating from University High School in 1952. She attended Sophie Newcomb College in New Orleans. She was a member of the Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority. She was the Treasurer of her sorority. She transferred back to the University of Illinois where graduated with her Bachelors of Arts in Economics and her Minor in Political Science in 1956. She also attended the Harvard Summer School in the Summer of 1955 before it became co-ed.

After her college graduation she went on a tour of Europe abroad on the SS United States. Then she participated in the Marshall Fields Executive Training Program in Chicago, Illinois. After her first marriage she came back to Champaign, Illinois where she worked briefly in the College Bookstore where she feel in love with reading books which became a life long obsession. She also worked at a local bank in Champaign. Then an opportunity came along to work at Hurd and Clegg where she learned about Stocks and Bonds. She became a Stock Broker. She loved the stock market she used to tell a story about at age 10 her parents gave her money to purchase new golf clubs and she used the money to buy shares of stock in her favorite restaurant Steak N Shake.

A couple of years later she went to Chicago to become a stock broker. She was a Mad Women in a Man’s world. Chasing her dreams on LaSalle Street and knocking on all doors to get an interview. She found an opportunity to be a stock broker with Sincere & Company. She also attended the Grain Institute where she got her commodities certification. She knew a lot of farmers and loved trading commodities. She also traded on the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade. She also wrote for an Engineering Publication about Investments. Later she worked for Goodbody and Company as a stock broker. In 1968 she married her second husband Herbert Kulwin who resided in Indianapolis. They were introduced by mutual friends of their Mothers.

Shirley was active in her children’s parent organizations. Her father passed away in 1978 and she had to help her Mother run and operate Marco Steel in Champaign, Illinois for seven years until the company got sold to Mervis Industries. After selling her family’s business she went to work for her husband’s family business Kulwin Electric Supply where she ran the Lighting Showroom for many years. In her free time she was involved in the Indianapolis Museum of Art where she was past President of the Alliance. She was also past President of the Illuminating Engineering Society. She was a past Board Member of the United Way, the Indianapolis Repertory Theater, and Herron Art School, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Women’s Committee. She and her husband were active in the Indianapolis Opera. She was past President of the Progressive Club. She was an active member of the Indianapolis Women’s Club. She also was an active member of the Fall Creek Garden Club. She was a member of the Hadassah and National Council of Jewish Women. She was a long time and active member of the Hooverwood Nursing Home. She was also Active in the Council of Foreign Affairs. She went to Washington and got to meet with George Stephanopoulos when Bill Clinton was President. She was a member of the Contemporary Club of Indianapolis. She and her husband Herbert were members of the Indianapolis Athletic Club, Skyline Club, and Broadmoor Country Club. She was a member of the Nine Holes and got the lowest handicap.

Her number one favorite past time was being a member of the Sunset Swim Club aka The Lilly Pool where she and her friends would sit around the pool and discuss and try to solve the World Problems. Swimming at the Lilly Pool before it closed was like being on Golden Pond.

She and her family traveled the world. She loved to travel. In November of 2019 she took her daughter Heather to South Africa. They saw all five game species. They went to Capetown, Johannesburg and took the train to Botswana and Zimbabwe. They got to see Victoria Falls. Her favorite trips were to Cape Cod as she loved sitting and listening to the Ocean. At age 90 Leslie took her and Heather to Wailea, Maui.

She was a terrific Mother to Leslie and Heather. Her son in law Jeff Gould adored her as she never butted in. She adored her kids and grandkids Rachel and Jacob. She recently became a Great Grandmother to Ari (of Blessed Memory), Eden, Jonah and Sadye all under the age of 3 years old. She loved FaceTiming them and getting their latest photos. She never knew a stranger. She was friends to all ages. She loved to play bridge with her friends and solitaire on her iPad. She loved talking about politics and listening to Rachel Maddow on MSNBC.

She will miss her daughter Leslie Gould (Jeff Gould) and her younger daughter Heather Kulwin (Patrick Pollock). Her grandchildren Rachel Gould (Adam Baybutt) and Jacob Gould and his fiancé Diana. Her Great Grandchildren Eden, Jonah, and Sadye. Her nephew Ted Kurland and Ann Kurland of West Newton, Massachusetts. Her nephew Steve Kurland (JoAnn Kurland) of Saint Lous, Mo. Her niece Marcy Kurland of Toronto. Her cousin Dr. Alan Hoffman (Judy) of Rochester, Minnesota.

Donations can be made to the Jack and Sadye Marco Holocaust Fund in Champaign, Illinois, and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

A Memorial Service will be planned in the Summer of 2026.