Shirley C. Nerud

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Shirley Carol Gilcher was born on April 30th, 1944, the daughter of Louis August Gilcher and Marcella (Benke) Gilcher. She was baptized into the family of believers and received the gift of eternal life on May 21st, 1944 at Trinity Lone Oak Lutheran Church. Shirley confessed her faith publicly at her confirmation on March 30th, 1958 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in St. Paul, MN and has never lost her desire to be fed by her Lord’s body and blood through holy communion. It was in Walther League (youth group) at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church that Shirley met her husband to be, Thomas Joseph Nerud, Sr. They were inseparable through high school and insistent on being married as soon as Tom returned from his military deployment to Korea. With their parents’ mandatory written consent, Tom and Shirley were joined in holy matrimony at the altar of God in St. Peter’s Lutheran church on August 24th, 1963. Their marriage was richly blessed with two sons, Thomas Jr. and Timothy, five grandchildren, and a great granddaughter. Shirley was widowed on September 14th, 2014 when Tom Sr. was called home to heaven. On the evening of December 10th, 2024, Shirley passed from this life to life eternal, eager to meet her Lord face to face and to be reunited with Tom, her parents, family, and friends in heaven. As a wife and mother, Shirley worked tirelessly to take care of her family. Along with taking care of Tom and the boys, Shirley often did in-home daycare for friends and family in St. Paul and Cottage Grove MN when the boys were young. She took on bookkeeping for Rose of Sharon Lutheran School when Tom Jr. and Tim were attending, as well. Later she did accounting work in the manufacturing industry. Although Minnesota was always “home”, Tom Sr. and Shirley spent over 20 years out of state – first in Mt. Zion, IL and then in Fairfield, IA. Shirley made dear friends and touched many lives in the churches and communities wherever they lived. Over the years Shirley enjoyed ceramics, quilting, Bible studies, and recreational reading. But her favorite “hobbies” were anything with the family – whether gardening or projects with Tom, engaging with her sons and their friends growing up and their wonderful wives in adulthood, entertaining (or being entertained by) her grand- and great grandkids, hiking, fishing, or campfires – if it involved her family she was in heaven on earth. Since moving back to Minnesota and joining Lord of the Lakes Lutheran Church, Shirley became known as “The Card Lady” for the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League. No matter how badly her hands ached, she always pushed through with a pen in her hand and a prayer in her heart for the recipients. As she was blessed, so she strove to be a blessing to others.

She is survived by her sons, Thomas Jr. (Michelle), Timothy (Heidi); grandchildren, Victoria (Nerud) Bixby, Thomas III, Sarah, Nicole, Katrina; great granddaughter, Isabella Faye Bixby; sister, Kathy (Gilcher) Gilbert; honorary granddaughter, Mandie Gray; honorary great granddaughter, Maddie Dickerson; other extended family and friends.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, December 19, 2024 at Lord of the Lakes Lutheran Church, 25402 Itasca Avenue, Forest Lake, Minnesota.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.  Interment at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.  Memorials to:  “Student Emergency Fund”  Concordia Theological Seminary Financial Aid Office, 6600 North Clinton ST, Fort Wayne, IN 46825