Shirley had a laugh like no other. It was rich, hearty & filled the soul...just like her warm bear hugs. But nothing compared to the depth of her love. Shirley loved her family & told them openly & often. Perhaps most of all, she adored her husband, Tom. They spent their life finding fun everywhere they went. Together they had 5 children, 16 grandchildren, & 26 great-grandchildren.
Shirley graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1952. She was a hard worker. While raising her family, she worked for General Electric, Pabst Meat Packing, Pearson’s Candy & 3M. She loved music, movies, playing cards, dice games & sharing funny stories. She enjoyed visiting casinos, watching her grandkids' activities, & feeding her dog, Jack, ice cream.
She treasured spending time with her family. Her grandkids say her grilled-cheese sandwiches were the best, but everyone knows her orange salad is legendary. She was loved as deeply as she loved, and was surrounded by family & song as she peacefully went home to her Tom.
Shirley was preceded in death by her husband Thomas; parents Oscar and Jenneda Holton; sister Ann & brother-in-law Mel Stanko; brother “Butch” Richard Holton; and sons-in-law Michael Paul and David Smeets. She is survived by her loving children Kathy (Steve) Fournelle, Cheryl Paul, Barb Hartung, Mary Kay (Sky) Hietala, & Tom (Jenny) Pasquale; sister-in-law Sue Holton & many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. “What a wonderful world.”
Mass of Christian Burial will be Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at 11:00 AM with Visitation one hour prior to service from 10:00 - 11:00 AM at St. Ambrose Catholic Church, 4125 Woodbury Dr., Woodbury, MN 55129. A luncheon will immediately follow mass at the church. Private Interment Ft. Snelling National Cemetery.
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