Shirley Mandel, 79, of Mitchell, SD, died July 13, 2021 at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Tuesday, July 20, at Bittner Funeral Chapel. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Mitchell. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at Bittner Funeral Chapel. Arrangements by Bittner Funeral Chapel.
Shirley Maurine Mandel was born on March 4, 1942 to Valentine and Ottilia (Frank) Mandel in Montrose, SD on a farm with a round barn. She grew up on a farm southwest of Salem, SD, and attended school in a one-room country schoolhouse near Salem. She lived and attended grade schools near Emery, Freeman, and Mitchell. She helped her dad in the fields, planting, and picking crops. She learned to drive a tractor before she learned to drive a car. Shirley attended 4 years of high school in Alexandria, SD, and graduated in May of 1960.
After graduation, Shirley worked in Mitchell at the Nite-N-Day café, Southside Texaco Café, and the Village Bowl as a waitress and cook. In 1964 she moved to Salem to take a job at the Home Café. She worked there until it closed. She then worked at Pleasant Acres Café in Salem for three years as a baker and cook. In 1968 Shirley moved to Mitchell and started an in-home daycare and retired from that in 1994. She continued her love for baking and started baking wedding cakes and making flower arrangements out of her home. She retired from cake decorating in 2005 and just did it for fun for friends and family. Shirley was well known for her delicious cakes and frosting! Most of her time in retirement was spent taking care of her grandchildren when they were small, and in later years attending their wrestling matches and hockey games. In her spare time, she also enjoyed reading, doing puzzle books, and just spending time with family. Her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were her pride and joy.
Shirley belonged to Zion Lutheran Church in Mitchell and was also a member of Women of the Moose where she served as Senior Reagent from 2005-2006. She was also an Avon representative.
In 2017 she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and spent her last two and a half years in remission. Shirley fought many health issues the last 3 months of her life and during this difficult time, she showed courage and strength and gave meaning to the word fighter. Shirley was surrounded by her loved ones until the end.
Blessed to have been a part of her life are her 3 daughters, Lisa (Michael) Lawrence, Mitchell, SD, Kelly (Michael) Lauck, Sioux Falls, SD, and Michelle (Wade) Kunkel, Marion, SD; 4 grandchildren, Tyler (Amira) Lawrence, Sioux Falls, SD, Jesse Kunkel, Sioux Falls, SD, Lindsey Lawrence, Mitchell, SD, and Spencer Lawrence, Phoenix, AZ; two sisters, Sally Wise, Mitchell, SD, Sandra (Roger) Smith, Tea, SD, Chuck Summers- Brother-in-Law, Mitchell, SD. She also had 3 great-grandchildren that she loved dearly, Layton and Welles Lawrence (Tyler and Amira) and Pierce Lawrence (Lindsey). She is survived by her nieces and nephews: Cheri (Paul) Claggett, Mt Vernon, SD, Scott (Kathy) Summers, Mitchell, SD, Rick Smith, San Diego, CA, Michael (Helen) Smith, St Michael, MN, Brad (Julie) Smith, Tea, SD, Jeff (Michelle) Garwood, Valentine, NE, Matthew (Katie) Garwood, Valentine, NE, Nichole Garwood, and Pat Brinda, Valentine, Ne, and 13 great-nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her one true love, Lawrence (Jack) Adam Hohn, Sr.; parents, Valentine and Ottilia Mandel; sisters, Syneva Summers and Sylvia Garwood; great-niece, Sara Claggett; and brother-in-law, Lorry Wise.