Shirley Chapin

Shirley Chapin, 87, of Willmar, died Friday evening (July 29) at Rice Hospital in Willmar following a brief illness.
Funeral services will be held Friday, August 5, at 11:00 am at Calvary Lutheran Church in Willmar, with Pastor Dean Johnson officiating. Visitation will be Thursday, August 4, from 5-7 pm at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar. A private family burial will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Calvary Lutheran Church, to Safe Avenues, or to the donor's choice.
Shirley Carol Langager was born October 22, 1923, the 3rd of 4 children born to Simon T. and Clara L. (Enstad) Langager. The family lived in Spicer, where Shirley's father worked as caretaker for Col. Cushman Rice. When Shirley was still a young girl her family moved to Willmar. She attended Willmar High School, and was active in both band and orchestra, playing clarinet and French horn. A highlight of her high school experience was travelling with the Willmar High School band to the New York World's Fair in 1939. After graduating from high school in 1941, Shirley worked as a clerk at the local Woolworth store, as a dental assistant for both Drs. Westerdahl and Ted Anderson, as a clerk in the county rationing office during WWII, and as a secretary at the Kandiyohi County Highway Department. When her children were older, she also worked for several years at Langager Jewelry in Willmar.
Although she had known her future husband, Frank Chapin, in high school, the two did not begin dating until after Frank's discharge from the U.S. Navy at the end of WWII. Frank and Shirley were married on October 18, 1947 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Willmar, and lived in Willmar their entire marriage. They had 3 children: Michael, Bruce, and Debra. Shirley was a lifetime member of Calvary Church, serving in Ladies Aid, Circle, and Altar Guild, and as a deaconess. She also did volunteer work for Rice Memorial Hospital. Shirley loved being social, and over the years enjoyed being active in several bridge clubs and sewing club. Throughout their life together, Shirley and Frank travelled extensively throughout the U.S., as well as to such places as the British Isles, Colombia, and to Shirley's ancestral home, Norway. They also enjoyed many winters as "snowbirds" at their winter home in Sun City, AZ. In addition, Shirley was supportive and served on "the home front" during husband Frank's many community commitments, such as the Fire Department, Chamber of Commerce, and others. She enjoyed reading (including using her new Kindle), playing cards, collecting pictures and sculptures of owls, socializing, and visiting with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Shirley was the heart of our family, and lives on in all of us. She will be sadly missed by her husband of nearly 64 years, Frank; son Mike (Deb Mikelson), son Bruce (Deby), daughter Deb (Mike) Langmo; 5 grandchildren, David Langmo (Linsey), Patrick Chapin (Sara), Krystal (Jeremy) Hilker, Dylan Chapin and Anna Chapin; 5(soon to be 6) great grandchildren, Kari and Evan Langmo, Carolyn and Charlotte Chapin, and Ayden Hilker; special "grand-dog" Clover; and many nieces, nephews and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Truman, and sisters Oral and Jean.