Shirley Mae Nolting

Shirley Nolting, 92 of Morgan, passed peacefully on February 21, 2022 at CentraCare - St. Cloud Hospital. Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 21, 2022 at Bethany Lutheran Church in Morgan. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 21, 2022 at Bethany Lutheran Church in Morgan with burial to follow in Bethany Lutheran Cemetery.
Arrangements are with Nelson-Hillestad Funeral and Cremation service of Redwood Falls. Condolences may be sent via www.nelson-hillestad.com .
Shirley was born on November 22, 1929, to Elmer and Aster Bendixen, being raised on the family farm in Three Lakes Township of Redwood County. She attended Country School at District 92 and graduated from Morgan Public School in 1947. Her younger years were filled with farm life and the Jolly Troopers 4-H Club, winning many awards and enjoyed taking her projects to the Minnesota State Fair. She regularly attended Western Mini Baseball games with family and friends, rooting for the Springfield Tigers.
Shirley attended Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter and Stout Institute in Menomonie, WI receiving her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Home Economics. Shirley taught home economics in the Springfield School District for 3 years and was a substitute teacher in Burnsville years later.
On October 11,1954 Shirley married her childhood friend, Richard Nolting and they have three wonderful children; Gregory (Jan), Cynthia (Joseph) and DeeAnn (Wayne). They were married for 56 years, until Rich passed away in 2010. Rich worked for the Chicago Northwestern Railroad for 36 years and that career took them to many places they called home, in 1967 they settled in Burnsville and resided there until they retired in 1986.
When people would ask if she was a housewife, she would “politely” correct them, and say “No, I am a household engineer”! She always held high the value of a stay-at-home spouse and all the hard work that is associated with the role.
Shirley enjoyed cooking and she was an accomplished seamstress. She enjoyed her afternoon women’s bowling league. Shirley and Rich also bowled on the Monday Night Mixers league for years with the Hunter’s, the Skauge’s, and Amundson’s. She enjoyed years of family camping vacations with Bob and Bunny Nolting. Shirley was also an avid sports fan and never missed the opportunity to attend a Twins game and always had the radio tuned to WCCO listening to baseball, hockey, and Gopher Football.
Upon retirement they moved back to the Nolting family farm in Morgan, spending their winters in Apache Junction, AZ. They made regular trips to Smooth Rock Fly-in fishing camp in Armstrong, Ontario, enjoyed traveling to the Pacific Northwest, gardening, adding the final touches of color to Rich’s carvings and volunteering with The Friends of Gilfillan. They had adventurous travels across the globe with dear friends. Throughout the years she shared many of those treasured moments with her lifelong best friend, Arliss Becker and husband Perry.
In 2012, Shirley moved to Garnette Gardens in Redwood Falls, being taken care of by a wonderful staff who became her friends.
She thoroughly enjoyed spending time with her 6 grandchildren: Johanna, Sophia, Jordin, Zachary, Elizabeth, and Jennifer, 4 great grandchildren: Benjamin, Micah, Julia and Christian and her nieces and nephews.
Shirley was lifelong member of Bethany Lutheran Church where she was baptized, confirmed, married, and where she will be laid to rest. She was preceded in death by her husband Richard, parents Elmer and Aster Bendixen, her brothers Norman and Duane.
Shirley met her health challenges with tenacity and spunky humor. She was one feisty lady, and she will be missed by many.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials be made to Bethany Lutheran Church, Friends of Gilfillan or the Gorecki Guest House at the St Cloud Hospital, donation link for the Gorecki Guest House is www.centracare.com/gorecki-guest-house/
In her loving memory.