Shirley Jean Dahnke-Swanson was born April 26, 1937, in Sutherland, Iowa.
Shirley attended grade school in Sutherland and in country schools south of Hartley, Iowa. Shirley graduated from Hartley High School in 1955 and attended Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa majoring in Education.
Shirley accepted a fourth-grade teaching position in Primghar, Iowa, where she taught until 1959. On June 14, 1959, Shirley married Gary Swanson and began their 62-plus years life as one. Shirley and Gary moved from Spencer, Iowa, to Vermillion, S.D., where Shirley taught fourth and third grade while Gary went to school. Their first child, Mark, was born in Missoula, Montana. Shirley worked at KWSO TV as a producer and took care of Mark and Gary.
In 1961, the family moved to Park Forest, Illinois, and then to Wheaton, Illinois. Shirley worked as a substitute teacher, and then accepted a position as editor of the Student American Medical Association (SAMA) professional journal.
Shirley and family moved to Elkhorn in 1975. Shirley and Gary started a medical products testing laboratory for manufacturers of medical products. Shirley was active partner in the laboratory business. Shirley and Gary welcomed a second child in 1977. Together, Shirley and Gary operated three family-owned corporations over the next 45 years.
Shirley, the daughter of Irvin Dahnke and Lizzie Wittrock-Dahnke, passed away Nov. 12, 2021, following a short illness.
Shirley previously lost both of her parents, her sister Phyllis, and brother-in-law, Elfred Eifert.
Shirley leaves two children, Mark of Elkhorn, and Louis [nee: Lisa] (Kris) of Okinawa, Japan; and her husband of 62 years to mourn her passing and miss her forever.
Visitation will be 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17, until time of service at 2 p.m. at the Haase-Lockwood & Associates Funeral Home and Crematory 730 N. Wisconsin Street Elkhorn, with the Rev. Tom DeGroot officiating. Graveside service will be Thursday at Pleasant View Cemetery in Hartley Iowa. On-line guest registry is at www.haaselockwoodfhs.com.
