Shirley Rush | 1952 - 2024
Obituaries-Mobridge / Posted Jul 16, 2024 | 4:04 PM / 221 views
Shirley Rush, 71, of Pierre, SD, passed away peacefully Tuesday, July 16, 2024, at Avera St. Mary’s Hospital, Pierre, SD.
Funeral Mass will be 2:30 p.m., Thursday, July 18, 2024, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Gettysburg, with Fr. Joe Holzhauser officiating. Burial will be in the Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, Gettysburg, at a later date.
Shirley Ann (Fransen) Rush was born in Pierre, South Dakota on November 5, 1952, to Frank Fransen and Mary Ann (Garrity) Fransen. Shirley was the oldest of 10 children. In her pre-school years, she and her family lived in the Gettysburg, Warner, Pierre, and Harrold areas of South Dakota. She began grade school in Gettysburg in 1959. She moved to Redfield with her family in late 1959. She attended Redfield Elementary School from November 1959 until the family returned to Gettysburg in June 1964.
Shirley married Ronald Gene Rush in Pampa, Texas on January 12, 1972. They lived in Worland, Wyoming; Siloam Springs, Arkansas; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Enid, Oklahoma.
Shirley’s greatest joy was held in her role as “Mom” and “Nana”. She loved to sew and had a passion for turning something old into something new. She made countless barbie doll dresses for her daughters and granddaughters, and she strived to bring joy into the lives of those she loved.
She is survived by her three daughters: Loni Chandler (Waylon) of West Siloam Springs, OK; Laura Jean Mayo of Enid, OK; and Leasa Melton (DuWayne) of Arcadia, OK; ten grandchildren: Jessica Freeman (Daniel), Chris Chandler (Brittany), Trey Frazier, Drew Gray (Abagail), Joshua Melton (Reagan), Grace Melton, Brielle Whittaker, Zackary Gray, Alyssa Smith, Elizabeth Mayo; six great-grandchildren: Kaylie Cash, Ella, Ava and Wyatt Freeman, Rozlyn “Bow” and Jozie Chandler, and (Clark Chandler due any day); three brothers: David Fransen (Vicki) of Aberdeen, SD, Gerald Fransen (Peggy) of Parrish, FL, and Patrick Fransen of Pierre, SD; three sisters: Jean Oberfoell (Bob) of Ashton, SD, Kathy Heier (John) of Aberdeen, SD, and Mary Schmidt (Lonnie) of Huron, SD; and brother-in-law, Tim Hoag, Watertown, SD.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Mary Ann Fransen; sister, Pam Hoag; two brothers in infancy; and her paternal grandparents as well as maternal grandparents.
Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Shirley’s arrangements.
