Shirley Marie Van Beek

Shirley Marie Van Beek was born to Ervin and Mathilda (Gauthun) Hyland on July 24, 1923, in Nunda, South Dakota, and died on February 14, 2019, at Ava’s Hospice House, Sioux Falls, South Dakota at the age of 95 years, 6 months, and 20 days.

Shirley was baptized on September 2, 1923 at Prairie Queen Lutheran Church near Nunda. As a child, Shirley went to school at District No. 8 in Lake County, South Dakota. After the eighth grade, she attended Eastern High School in Madison, South Dakota. Following high school graduation, Shirley attended Eastern State Normal School in Madison for a year and earned her teaching certificate on June 5, 1942. Shirley taught country school in Lake County, SD. On December 25, 1947, Shirley was united in marriage to Everett Van Beek of Holland, Minnesota, at Prairie Queen Lutheran Church. In May 1948, they moved to a farm near Holland, MN, in Fountain Prairie Township, Pipestone County. They raised chickens, cattle and hogs and farmed until Everett’s retirement in 1983. Everett preceded Shirley in death on September 24, 1987. Shirley lived on the farm until 1999 when she moved to Pipestone. She moved to Madison, SD, in 2011 and for the past year, lived at Bethel Lutheran Home in Madison.

Shirley was a member of First Lutheran Church in Pipestone where she was active in the WELCA. She was also a lifetime member of the Earl Gruis American Legion Auxiliary where she served in various offices. Shirley enjoyed doing crafts, ceramics, wood cutting, sewing and quilting. She made quilts for her church and her nieces. Shirley volunteered at the Good Samaritan Village in Pipestone. She also enjoyed gardening, knitting, crocheting, and sewing baby blankets for relatives and friends. Shirley was an avid doll collector with more than 100 dolls in her collection.

Shirley is lovingly remembered by her sister, Elida DeVaney, Madison, SD; and her many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; and six brothers, Allen, Edward, Mervin, Stanley, Robert and Erwin James.