Shirley A. Penner

Shirley Penner, age 83, of Moorhead, MN, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 5, 2019 at Eventide Nursing Home, Moorhead.

Shirley Ann Nelson was born on July 24, 1935 in Devils Lake, ND to Joel and Clara (Jorstad) Nelson. She was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Alsen, ND and raised on a farm near Alsen. She graduated high school in Egeland, ND in 1953. Shirley married Martin Penner in 1953, and together they moved to Montana for three years before returning to North Dakota where they lived on a farm near Langdon. Shirley taught Sunday School and Bible School at Bethel Mennonite Church before moving to Breckenridge, MN in 1964 where Shirley was a member of her church council and taught at Breckenridge United Methodist Church, was chairman for the Board of Directors for Wilkin County Developmental Achievement Center, and a Den Mother for the Cub Scouts. Shirley was a Stanley Home Products distributor and worked in the Service Department at Montgomery Wards in Wahpeton, ND before attending NDSCS and Moorhead State University, where she graduated in 1972. Following graduation, she taught in the Special Education Department and served as the Reading Specialist at the Wahpeton Indian School from 1972 to 1980. While at the Indian School, Shirley was an active member of the North Dakota and National Reading Councils, the North Dakota Educational Association, and a Cub Scout Den Mother.

Martin passed away in 1982. Shirley retired from the Campbell-Tintah School District where she worked in the Special Education Department from 1980 to 1997. She resided in Wahpeton and wintered in Nalcrest, FL. Shirley enjoyed teaching her granddaughter to dance the Two-Step and to roller skate, family camping weekends, sharing homemade pizza every Friday night with neighborhood friends in Breckenridge, taking a lifetime opportunity trip with Martin to Norway, and making memories with family and friends. Shirley was a longtime member of the VFW and the American Legion Auxiliary.

Shirley is survived by her sons John Penner of Moorhead, Robert (Marina) Penner of Fargo, and Neil (Kay Wilder) Penner of Moorhead; 6 grandchildren, Tyna (Chris) Fox, Marty (Erika) Penner, Alyse (Corey Lee) Penner, Scott Penner, Matt (Karlee) Penner, and Natasha Penner; 10 great-grandchildren, Myka, Jasmyn, Kailyn, Kaija, Reya, Bryce, Ayden, Carlyse, Josyah, Penelope; and one brother, Clifford (Clara Mae) Nelson.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Martin Penner; daughter, Caryl Penner; one sister and brother-in-law, Merle and Lloyd Strand.

Shirley always expressed gratitude to those who loved her and shared their time with her.  Shirley’s final request was to have her body donated to the University of North Dakota for studies.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 12, 2019 at 2:00 P.M., with a visitation one hour before the service, at Olivet Lutheran Church, Fargo.