Shirley J. Schnell was born on Jan. 23, 1931, in Philip, the daughter of Julius and Sophia (Cook) Egeberg. She spent her early years and received her education in Bruce and graduated from Bruce High School in 1948.
Shirley was united in marriage to Arthur Schutte on Jan. 1, 1950, in Estelline. She was employed at the Estelline Hospital from 1948 until 1955. In 1955, she was employed for Dr. Force Dentistry in Estelline until 1962 and from 1962 to 1969 she worked at S.D. State University in the Animal Science Department. She then worked for Dr. Longworth in Watertown until 1980 when she bought the Hi-Way Cafe in Estelline. Arthur died on Sept. 30, 1981, in Estelline and she was married to Tom Schnell in Estelline on Sept. 20, 1983. Shirley continued to own and operate the Hi-Way Cafe for eight years until her retirement. Tom died on April 21, 1991, in Estelline and she moved to Brookings in 1993 and lived at Briarwood. Shirley died on Sunday, April 27, 2014, at The Neighborhood at Brookview at the age of 83 years.
She was a member of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Estelline and was active in the Ladies Auxiliary, the Altar Society and after moving to Brookings was a member of St. Thomas More Catholic Parish.
She is survived by four daughters, Sandra McGeough (William), Sharon Chapin (Carroll) Helen Johnson (Robert Boniface), all of Brookings and Sharla Schutte-Dennis (Mark) of Dell Rapids; two stepdaughters, Jean Pletcher (Dick) of Eagan, Minn., and Barbara Johnson (Gordon) of Los Angeles; one stepson, Dan Schnell of Mitchell; 11 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Vivian Furtado of Sparks, Nev., and Betty Skarloken of Tracy, Calif.; and one brother, Roy Egeberg (Marian) of Omaha, Neb.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two husbands; one grandson, Kelly McGeough; three sisters, Merlyn, Evelyn and Bernice; and one brother, Ray. Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 30 at St. Thomas More Catholic Parish in Brookings. Visitation will be from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Rude’s Funeral Home in Brookings with a rosary and Scripture service beginning at 6:30 p.m. Geise Funeral Home of Estelline is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be left at www.geisefuneralhome.com.