Shirley Snoozy, 90, of Dell Rapids passed away on Friday, October 20, 2017 at the Dells Nursing and Rehab Center. Her funeral service will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 25, 2017 in the Lutheran Church of Dell Rapids Chapel. Visitation will begin on Tuesday, October 24, 2017 at noon with the family present from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Kahler Funeral Home.

Shirley Viola Nielsen was born on May 25, 1927 at Dell Rapids, SD, the daughter of Chris and Ana (Anderson) Nielsen. She grew up on two farms near Dell Rapids and one near Baltic. She attended Noyes Country School and graduated from Baltic High School in 1945. After high school she moved to Sioux Falls and attended Nettleton College. She worked as a bookkeeper at the Sioux Falls Gas Company. She married Ed Snoozy on May 23, 1948 at the Lutheran Church of Dell Rapids. After their marriage, the couple rented a farm seven miles west of Dell Rapids. In 1950, they bought a farm across the road and moved there in 1951. In 1966, Ed invented a tractor hitch and it was patented. For twenty-five years, Ed and Shirley sold tractor hitches at fairs and at their home. In 1973, they became a Dixon mower dealer. They continued to sell and repair mowers for many years. After Ed’s death in 1984, Shirley continued to sell and repair mowers. Since 1986, Shirley has spent winters with her daughters. She continued to live on the home place, garden, run the mower business and help her son with farming chores until her health declined. She became a resident of Dells Nursing and Rehab Center in July of 2017.

She is survived by her son, Gerald of Dell Rapids; her daughters, Beverly (Dennis) Dekam of Pipestone, MN, Sylvia (Hank) Vogt of Ruthton, MN, Darlene (David) Sparks of Laguna Woods, CA and Karen (Al) Lange of Pipestone, MN; her 17 grandchildren and her 21 great-grandchildren; her brother, Norman (Vera) Nielsen of Renner and her many extended family and friends.

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