Shirley Irene Gjernes, 80, of Aberdeen, SD and formerly of Cresbard, died Sunday at her home. Her funeral will be Wednesday, at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Cresbard. Reverends Julie Nygaard, Tom Hagger and Dennis Gellhaus will officiate. Burial will be in the Cresbard Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday from 1-3:00 p.m. at Thelen Funeral Home in Redfield and from 5-7:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Aberdeen, with a prayer service at 7:00.
Shirley was born April 4, 1926 to Lester and Mary E. (Hahn) Mannings. She attended country school and graduated from Redfield High School in 1944. She worked for Northwestern Public Service for a few years before marrying Floyd Gjernes on October 21, 1948 in Redfield. They farmed and raised livestock south of Chelsea for fifty-one years. After retiring in 2000, they moved to Aberdeen. Shirley and Floyd have been married for fifty-eight years and loved spending time with their family, especially their grandchildren.
Shirley enjoyed reading, and following the grandchildren's events. Shirley raised chickens on the farm and enjoyed delivering the eggs, she gathered, to her neighbors and friends.
Shirley was a member of the United Methodist Church and was very active in the UMW. She also taught Sunday school and Vacation Bible school and attended various bible study groups. She was also a member of the Faulk County Cancer Society.
Shirley is survived by her husband Floyd of Aberdeen, one daughter Maryann (Wayne) Bierman of Aberdeen and their children Jeremy (Peyton) Bierman and their daughter Hannah, and Seth (Jennifer Guthmiller) Bierman and one son Mark (Mary) Gjernes of Aberdeen and their children Megan and Michael. She is also survived by her sister Lorraine Grant of Whitewood, SD.
She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers: Clarence and Ernie and one sister Mildred Foglesong.
Casketbearers will be Jeremy, Hannah and Seth Bierman, Megan and Michael Gjernes, Dave McGaugh and Milton Newman.
Ushers will be Darwin Holt and Dennis Holm and at the guest book will be Wanda Holt.
Music will be provided by Beth Kono and Irene Mickelson.