Shirley E. Staples

Private Graveside services will be held for Shirley (Grahn) Staples.

Shirley Staples, age 84 of Roseau, died Friday December 18, 2020 at LifeCare Medical Center in Roseau.

Shirley Elaine Hedlund was born February 2, 1936 in Stafford Township to Elvin and Stella (Sillerud) Hedlund. Shirley grew up on a dairy and small grains farm. As a little girl, this spunky, determined, middle child would put on snow shoes, take her cork-on-a-string  gun and set out to track the groundhog on her February 2nd birthdays. Shirley attended grade school in Stafford Township and graduated from Roseau High School. She sang alto in choir, played saxophone in band, was a cheerleader, and was close with her large group of high school friends. Shirley went to college in Bemidji, MN.    While there she sang in the college choir and special women’s trio and was a candidate for queen in the 1956 Paul Bunyan Water Carnival.

Shirley earned a four-year degree in Elementary Education and taught for a short time in Bemidji and Minneapolis.  in 1960, she and Donald Grahn were married, raising their three children, Kelly, Julie, and Jason in Roseau. They were married until 1986.  In 1992, Shirley married Art Staples. They lived in Roseau after he retired; and later passed away in 2002.

Shirley was a lifelong member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Stafford Township. She loved being a mother and a homemaker.   She was a fun and loving grandmother who gave her grandchildren an abundance of attention. Shirley loved to knit. She especially liked to make caps, mittens, and sweaters for her family. Shirley was an excellent card player and Whist was the game that made family get togethers so much fun. Shirley also liked to get outside to work in her yard and to plant flowers.
In earlier years, she enjoyed going to the cabin at Buffalo Point, Manitoba. She loved animals and the beauty of nature.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, Stella and Elvin Hedlund, husband Art Staples, older sister Jean who passed away in 1943 at age 11, and grandson Lucas Pearson who passed away in 2009 at age 22.  Survivors include her daughters Kelly Grahn of Badger, MN and Julie Pearson of Thief River Falls, MN, son Jason Grahn of Salol, MN, sister Doris (Hedlund) Oseid and brother-in-law Adolph Oseid of Roseau, MN. Also surviving Shirley are her grandchildren, Lance Pearson, Tiara Tesarek, Jasmine Grindeland and Chantel Grindeland along with several nephews and a niece. Blessed be the memory of Shirley Elaine Staples.  

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