Laurita Shelstad

LAURITA CHRISTINA SHELSTAD was born to Thomas Sr. and Lorna Christina Henrietta (Reyelts) Hill on September 28, 1953 in Ft. Belvoir, Virginia. Laurita was baptized in the Trinity Lutheran in Washington, DC and was later confirmed in the Trinity Lutheran church in Mt. Lake, Minnesota, where she was active in the church’s youth groups. She attended Mt. Lake High School and while in school she played clarinet in the band and also participated in ballet. Laurita also competed in the Teen Minnesota pageant and volunteered in both the Mt. Lake library and the Orphan Grain Train. She graduated high school in 1972, and then began attending the Pipestone Vo Tech in 1973 to become a secretary. During college, Laurita was united in marriage to David Allen Shelstad on December 30, 1973 in the Trinity Lutheran Church in Mt. Lake. After their marriage, the young couple moved to Lakefield, Minnesota in 1976. Six years later, in 1982, the couple then moved to Luverne, Minnesota. In 1987, Laurita attended the Worthington Community College in Worthington, Minnesota to get a degree as an LPN. Once she received her degree, Laurita began working in the Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne. Laurita and David moved to Round Rock, Texas in 1990. The couple then moved to Hutto, Texas in 1991, Pflugerville, Texas in 1994, and back to Hutto in 1998. While in Texas, Laurita worked in various nursing homes, including the Good Samaritan Home in Georgetown, Texas and the Trinity Lutheran Home in Round Rock. She continued to devote her life to helping others until her retirement in 2006, at which time she and David returned to Minnesota to make their home in Fairmont. Following a sudden accident, Laurita was taken to the Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Due to her injuries, Laurita went to her heavenly home on Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at the age of 65 years, two months, and 21 days.
While living in Fairmont, Laurita was a member of the St. Paul Lutheran church of Fairmont. Laurita was a very gifted seamstress, enjoying both embroidery and sewing clothes. She also had a great love of anything to do with flowers, whether it be planting or arranging. Laurita was a very loving individual that cared a great deal about those she cared for. Even after her retirement, Laurita cared for many people, including a disabled five year old and two elderly women. She was an individual that was full of life and had a smile for anyone that she would meet. Laurita loved the simple things in life that most individuals take for granted.
Laurita is lovingly remembered by her husband, David Shelstad of Fairmont; her two daughters, Christina Joy (Dwight) Dankworth of Leander, Texas and Teresa Ann (Raymond) Cox of Highland Village, Texas; four grandchildren, Jasmine Dankworth, Alexander Dankworth, Jada Dankworth, and Wyatt Cox; her mother, Lorna Hill of Jasper, Minnesota; her siblings, Thomas Jr. (Eldora) Hill of Marana, Arizona and Connie (Chuck) Schuster, of Decatur, Texas; and many other loving friends and family members. She was preceded in death by her father, Thomas Sr; her brother, Cyril; and her grandparents.

Memorials will be directed to the American Cancer Society.