Shirley Jean Gillig, 72, of Regan ND, passed away peacefully on May 27, 2023, due to infection complications, surrounded by her family.  Memorial services will be held at 10:00 AM on Thursday, June 1, 2023 at Sunne Lutheran Church rural Wilton.  Interment will be held in the Regan Cemetery.

Shirley was born on May 26, 1951, to Warren and Betty (Glime) Gruer, Bemidji, MN.  Shirley lived her younger life on the family farm in Tenstrike, MN with her three siblings Kenny, Nancy and Bobby.  Shirley then moved in with her beloved aunts Lois and Donna Glime and attended Bemidji High School.

After high school Shirley moved to Minneapolis, MN, had a brief marriage and had her son Jamie Schurhamer. The two of them moved to Texas and then back to North Dakota where she met Marvin Gillig her husband and partner in life, and they raised their blended family Jamie, Wayne, Gwen, and Darin in Regan.  Marvin was her rock, and his personality perfectly complemented Shirley's. Valentine's Day was their 36th year anniversary.

Shirley had many working talents in her life and taught a lot of those life skills to the ones biggest in her heart, her girls, Tatelyn and Taryn.  She was an outgoing person who was very witty and fun! She was fearless and independent, yet sensitive and incredibly compassionate. She loved the lake, camping, riding on the back with Marvin on the motorcycle, feeding and watching the birds in her yard, vacations with family, cooking, beating Marvin in cribbage, her dogs (Zoey and Taz) and her grand dogs, and most importantly Christmas! She was strong-willed and stubborn, but those traits defined Shirley. They were part of who she was, and her strength undoubtedly helped her deal with life's challenges.

Shirley's loving family includes her husband, Marvin; children, Jamie (Nicole) Schurhamer, Wayne (Kim) Gillig, Gwen (Rick) Jarrell, and Darin Gillig; granddaughters, Tatelyn Schurhamer, Taryn Schurhamer and Amber Gillig; brother, Kenny (Barb) Gruer; sisters, Nancy (Reynold) Gustafson and Colleen Gruer; nephews, Donald (Michelle) Gustafson, Kenny Gruer, Richard Gruer and Eric Gruer; nieces, Debbie (Chad) Garner and Amanda (Eric) Welte; aunt, Lois Glime; great niece, Grace Garner; great nephew, Joe Garner; great grandchildren, Sariah and Logan Gillig.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Bobby Gruer and aunt, Donna Glime.

Shirley was a strong fighter, but she is now sailing on a journey to shores that we cannot see. We know that she is free from pain and is floating peacefully with her sea turtle friends in the crystal-clear waters of her dreams. Just keep swimming…

"Seeing death as the end of life is like seeing the horizon as the end of the ocean."