Shirley Schultz

Shirley M. Schultz, 87, Fargo, formerly of Hillsboro and Addison, Illinois, died on Saturday, July 25, 2015 at Bethany Retirement Living, Fargo. Shirley was born August 13, 1927, to William F. and Helen (Olson) Schultz on her parents’ farm in Caledonia Township. She was baptized and confirmed in Immanuel Lutheran Church, rural Hillsboro, and was currently a member of St. John Lutheran Church, Hillsboro. She attended Caledonia Consolidated School, grades 1 through 12, and completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences at NDAC in 1949. Shirley’s teen years were centered on school, community, and church activities. Since these were also WWII years, she often served as her dad’s “hired man.” Her only brother, Blaine, was off flying planes for the U.S. Air Force. She cultivated many a row, combined many an acre, and in the fall helped with the plowing –as did many women whose loved ones were in the various military services. In 1949, she found work at a Lutheran Child Welfare Agency in Addison, Illinois, now known as Lutherbrook. She remained there for 25 years, 18 as a childcare worker and 7 as a supervisor. When her father died in 1974, she decided to return to her home town, where she lived as daughter, helper and friend to her mother. She worked with the migrant school for several summers, at the American Crystal Sugar Company during several campaigns, and at the medical center for 12 years in housekeeping. Through her mother’s involvement in the Senior Citizens’ Club, membership in LWML, and The Eldorado Willing Workers homemakers group, Shirley became involved in and eventually an officer in these organizations. Her mother died in 1996. In 2002, she sold her Hillsboro home and with her sister Norma purchased a condo in Fargo. After many visits, Norma moved there permanently in 2010. Thereafter they made many trips to visit and friends. Travel was a great stimulant to Shirley’s curious mind. With friends or family members, she visited significant sites throughout the lower states, Alaska, British Columbia, and many places in Europe. Being an avid reader all her life, she was rarely bored. As she herself wrote, in a brief bio for the family history album, “I enjoy life 99% of the time. The Lord has been good to me.” Such was Shirley’s attitude throughout her life. Shirley leaves a legacy of exquisitely cross-stitched samplers and other pieces of embroidery, testimony of the many evenings she and her mother (knitting or crocheting) spent together in their Hillsboro home. Family members are deeply grateful for the love and care Shirley gave to their mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunts, et cetera, for over 20 years. She was preceded in death by her parents and an infant brother. She is survived by a sister, Norma, Fargo, ND and a brother, Blaine (Muriel), South Milwaukee, WI; two nephews, Larry (Joan), Milwaukee, WI; Geoffrey (Sue), Boston, MA; a niece, Judy (Jeff) Tobolski, Portland, OR; and great nieces and nephews: Jiliane Tobolski; Eric and sons Noah and Gabriel Schultz; Kate (Ron) Myers and children Roney and Moira; Jenny (Keith) Dow and sons Nolan and Liam; Amy (Zuhlke) and daughter Lili. A remembrance gathering for Shirley will be held Tuesday, August 4, from 6:00 p.m. at Boulger Funeral Home and Celebration of Life Center, Fargo. A memorial service will be held Wednesday August 5, at 2:00 p.m. at St John Lutheran Church in Hillsboro, ND with visitation one hour prior to the service. The family requests no flowers. Memorials may be given to a project or cause favored by the donor.