A Celebration of Life service to honor the life and legacy of Shirley Schoenenberger, age 90, of Windom, will be held at the LaCanne Family Celebration of Life Center in Windom on Tuesday, August 19th at 2:00 PM, with a time of visitation and gathering from 1:00 to 2:00 PM. Burial will be at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Windom.
Shirley Schoenenberger passed away on Thursday, July 31st at the Good Samaritan Society, Sogge Memorial in Windom.
Arrangements are under the care of the LaCanne Family Celebration of Life Center. Condolences and memories of Shirley may be shared online at LaCanneFuneralHome.com
Shirley F. (Earp) Schoenenberger was born on January 31, 1935, to the late Alfred and Alma (Egenes) Earp, in Storden, Minnesota. Shirley was baptized and confirmed at Amo Lutheran Church in rural Storden and graduated from Storden High School in 1953. She went on to attend Mankato Commercial College.
On August 19, 1955, Shirley was united in marriage to Melvin Arnold Schoenenberger at Amo Lutheran Church. Together, they made their home in Windom and were blessed with two sons, Mark and Brian. Over the years, Shirley worked at the Cottonwood County Farm Service Agency, Tony Downs Foods in St. James, Toro and Holt’s Cleaning in Windom, and she provided in-home care for the elderly.
Always willing to help others, Shirley had a big heart. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and tending her flower beds. Shirley enjoyed baking cookies, making strawberry rhubarb jam, canning pickles, and her fried chicken was a family favorite. She was an avid Minnesota Vikings fan.
For 25 years, Shirley and Melvin cherished their home away from home on Stoney Lake in Hackensack, Minnesota. They purchased a piece of land, cleared it together, and made a lake home that quickly became a gathering place filled with laughter and countless stories and fish tales over the years. They made lasting friendships with lake friends and made regular visits to the Legion.
On Thursday, July 31, 2025, Shirley passed away peacefully with family at her bedside, at the Good Samaritan Society, Sogge Memorial in Windom.
Left to cherish her memory are her daughter-in-law, Norma Schoenenberger; two grandchildren, Andrea Schoenenberger and Ashley (Derick) Fuchs; two great-grandchildren, Maverick and Addison Schoenenberger; sister, Barbie LaMaack; and other relatives and friends, especially the Verlan and Judy Ray Family, and Lewayne and Brenda Pigman Family.
Shirley was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin Schoenenberger (1998); sons, Mark Schoenenberger (2023), and Brian Schoenenberger (2023); parents, Alfred and Alma Earp; parents-in-law, Joe and Evelyn (Schaffer) Schoenenberger; brothers-in-law, Earl LaMaack and Donald (Donna) Schoenenberger; and special friends, Nelda Rehnalt and Elsbeth Showman.
Shirley was known for her fun-loving personality and sense of humor. She was a practical joker, especially with her grandchildren. Years ago, she would pretend to have a mouse in her hands and ask, “Do you want to see it?” She would then toss it into the air and catch it, much to their surprise. The tradition lived on as the great-grandchildren grew, with a handmade stuffed mouse keeping the fun alive. It wasn’t unusual for them to find the mouse tucked into a pocket or hidden in an overnight bag after a visit to Grandma’s house. In honor of Shirley and her legacy of laughter, guests are invited to take a stuffed mouse and help carry on the tradition she so joyfully created.