Shirley Brandt

shirley brandt

November 22, 1945 ~ October 14, 2024

Born in: Ortonville, Minnesota
Resided in: Moorhead, Minnesota

Shirley Brandt, 78, passed away peacefully on Monday, October 14, 2024, in Moorhead, Minnesota.

The family is holding a service for Shirley at 11 AM, Saturday, November 23, 2024, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Clinton, Minnesota. A time of fellowship and lunch will be held at the church after the service.

Shirley was born in Ortonville, Minnesota on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 1945, to Walter and Lottie Brandt. She grew up on the family farm west of Clinton. Shirley was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Clinton where she went to Sunday School and was confirmed. Shirley attended country school for three years before transferring to town school in Clinton, where she graduated in 1963. She attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD for two years. She spent 44 years of her career working in corporate and academic medicine. For the last 23 years of her career, Shirley worked as a manager and executive assistant to the Department of Family Medicine chairman at Hennepin County Medical Center. She lived in many different places including Sioux Falls, SD; Minneapolis, MN; Hartford, CT; San Diego, CA; Winston-Salem, NC; and lastly, at Beehive Homes in Moorhead, MN. Shirley loved the opportunity to live in different cities and experience the people, culture, food, and style of living unique to each city. She traveled throughout Europe seeing many cities and loved the food, art, and museums at each of her stops. Her favorite city was Paris, which she visited four times. Shirley knew her way around the city and felt very much at home, and oftentimes wished she could have lived there. Her passions were college basketball, the performing arts, the fine arts, and chocolate desserts. For a Broadway show, it was a must that Shirley sat in the front row.

When she relocated to Minneapolis in 1984, she moved to the neighborhood west of Lake Harriet. Having been brought up Lutheran in western Minnesota, she knew she wanted to join a Lutheran church in Minneapolis and return to her roots after having lived in a variety of cities and attended a variety of churches. Shirley found the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd at France & 48th and within a year of joining, she knew she had found her church home. She participated in many activities, served on many committees, boards, and councils, and did everything from teaching Sunday school to being part of the kitchen cleaning crew. She was blessed beyond measure by this warm and welcoming church.

She loved her family and was especially devoted to the care of her father and mother as they grew older. She was known as “Sissy” to her family. She poured her loyalty and love into her greatest joy: her nieces and nephews, and they adored her. They traveled with her to New York City and many fun events in the Twin Cities. Her nephew once told her in a birthday card that she was the “coolest, sweetest, most supportive, kindest, loving, generous, gracious, and beautiful aunt anyone could ever ask for.” She was a caring and compassionate person who had the gift of listening. If you asked her for her opinion, she always seemed to know what to say and how to say it. She was a tough, independent woman who knew how to find her way in the world. She lived a good life.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents Walter and Lottie Brandt, and two nephews Matthew and Steven. She is survived by her brother, Rodger (Linda) Brandt of Clinton, MN, her nephew Brent (Kristi) Brandt of Fargo, ND, her niece Lisa (Dan) Markert of Moorhead, MN, her grand-nephew Nick (Shea) Corpora Brandt of Westmont, IL, grand-niece Gabbie Brandt of Fargo, ND, and grand-niece Megan Markert of St. Paul, MN.

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