Shirley Jean Houselog

SHIRLEY JEAN (KOSTER) HOUSELOG was born on February 8, 1935 to Henry August and Laura Alvina (Tams) Koster in Verdi, Minnesota. She attended school in Verdi, and in 1937 the family moved to a farm. In 1946, she and her mother moved to Pipestone and Shirley continued her education, graduating from Pipestone High School in 1953. After completing her education she worked as a bookkeeper at Hyde Oil for a time. On May 14, 1955, she was united in marriage to Darrell Houselog at the Marine Air Force Base in El Toro, California. For the next year the couple lived in Santa Ana, California, while Darrell was in the United States Marines Corps. After that time they moved back to Holland, Minnesota and began farming. In 1962 they moved to the family farm where they have resided for 55 years. In 1985, Shirley began working at the Hiawatha Manor in Pipestone, a job she retired from in 2000. Since her retirement Shirley remained on the farm until she entered into the Pipestone County Hospice House where she passed away on Thursday, January 19, 2017, at the age of 81 years, 11 months, and 11 days.

Shirley was a member of St. Martin Catholic Church in Woodstock where she was an officer in her circle in years past. In high school she was a member of the Civil Air Patrol and was currently a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She was also a board member at the Hiawatha Manor and an officer at the Holland Senior Center. In her free time, Shirley enjoyed quilting, playing Bingo, the casino, playing cards at the center, and watching many programs and games of children and grandchildren. A memory that will never be forgotten is their wedding night when they danced to Lawrence Welk on the Santa Monica pier.

Shirley is lovingly remembered by her husband, Darrell, of Holland; eight children, John (Sharyn) Houselog of Camarillo, California, Jeffrey (Darla) Houselog of Kimball, Minnesota, Brian (Lori) Houselog of Holland, Steve (Sandra) Houselog of Bakersfield, California, Lori (Mike) Mead of Luverne, Minnesota, Jerry (Kristi) Houselog of Pipestone, Julie Manzey of Pipestone, and Amy (Shane) Cowell of Ruthton, Minnesota; Danish exchange daughter, Lene (Thomas) Meyer of Denmark; 23 grandchildren, Melanie Houselog, John Houselog Jr., Jamie (Jennifer) Houselog, Matt (Stephanie) Houselog, Amanda (Andrew) Kartak, Alicia Houselog, Josh (Angie) Houselog, Jordan (Kiley) Houselog, Jayden Houselog, Shannon (Matt) Killen, Erin (Richard) Iger, Lindsay (Tyson) Roam, Nick (Jessica) Mead, Heather (Brent) Fransen, Austin Houselog, Bryan (fianc, Kennedy Gilbery) Manzey, Brooke Manzey, Brynn Manzey, Kate Cowell, Seth Cowell, Monica (Mike) Tennet, Brittney (fianc, Santana Garcia) Dehart, Carli Beith; 21 great-grandchildren; and one sister, LaVonne Scott of Adams, Wisconsin. She was preceded in death by her parents; and one sister, Elaine Phipps.