Shirley V. Brown - Volga July 5, 1921 – June 22, 2012

Shirley V. Brown, 90, died Friday, June 22, 2012, at Brookview Manor in Brookings.

Funeral services are at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at First Lutheran Church in Volga. Burial is in the Arlington City Cemetery. Visitation will precede services at the church beginning at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. Eidsness Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Shirley Verna (Thomas) Brown was born July 5, 1921, at Tomahawk, Wis., to Raymond and Hilda (Martinson) Thomas. She spent her early years in Wisconsin until moving to South Dakota. She graduated as valedictorian of the Class of 1940 in Hetland.

On Oct. 23, 1941, she married Harvey Brown at Volga. The Browns lived in Arlington until moving to Ramona in 1962 and Volga in 1963. Shirley was employed as an aide at the Parkview Home. She and Harvey were custodians at SDSU, First Lutheran Church in Volga, and First National Bank in Brookings, where Shirley’s love for plants earned her the title of “plant manager.” Harvey died Dec. 27, 1996. Shirley moved to Brookview Manor in February 2010.

Shirley was a member of First Lutheran Church in Volga where she was involved in church activities, including WELCA. She had a wide range of interests, as reflected in her large library of books. She was an excellent flower and vegetable gardener, and she enjoyed watching sports on television, particularly golf.

Survivors include her three children: James Brown, of North Hollywood, Calif., Barbara (Lawrence) Dyer of Volga and Steven (Teri) Brown of The Colony, Texas; eight grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and two sisters-in-law, Vera Thomas of Lake Norden and Joy Thomas of Yakima, Wash.

She was preceded in death by her husband; two brothers, Eugene and Walter; two sisters, Helen and Irene and an infant sister, Elizabeth.