Shirley Jeanne (Biegler) Haffeman

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Mass of Christian burial for Shirley J. Haffeman will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, November 4, 2016, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 409 3rd Ave SE, Aberdeen, with Father Mark Lichter as celebrant.

Burial will take place at Sacred Heart Cemetery.

Visitation will be 5-7 p.m., Thursday, at the mortuary followed by a liturgical wake service and rosary led by members of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas at 7:00 p.m.  Visitation continues one hour prior to Mass at church on Friday.

Shirley Jeanne (Biegler) Haffeman was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Ascension Thursday, May 30, 1929. Her parents were Leo and Alma (Monson) Biegler and she also had one brother, Le Roy Matthew.  Her father, Leo, worked for the Nash Factory and a year later moved to Aberdeen SD to establish "Biegler Nash Motors" on North Main. She attended Sacred Heart Parochial School and Aberdeen Central High School.

Shirley was united in marriage to Robert "Bob" Gerald Haffeman at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Aberdeen on September 18, 1950.  Shirley graduated from SDSU with an Education degree and a BS in Home Economics on June 4, 1951.  The couple lived in Mobridge until 1954, when they moved their family to Aberdeen and Bob joined the family business, Biegler Motors Inc.  Bob and Shirley made many lifetime friends as part of a couple's bridge club for 50 years, as well as members of the Belles and Beaux Square Dance Club and numerous church club activities.

Shirley was a confirmed member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, where she was an active member most of her life. She was passionate about loving God, her family, and her friends.  Shirley loved her Catholic faith and joyfully served as a Catechism teacher, RCIA sponsor, and a Perpetual Adoration member of St. Luke's Chapel. She was a lifetime member of Catholic Daughters and was a past Grand Regent. She was also an Oblate of St. Benedict.

Shirley was an innovator and passionate when she was teaching Home Economics at Aberdeen Roncalli, Hecla, and Frederick; as well as keeping her nine children in line.  She had a strong sense of color, style, and design, which lasted throughout her lifetime.  She was the family historian and never missed a birthday or anniversary with a card and an offer of prayers.  She valued honesty, integrity, and hard work.  Shirley made many friends with her neighbors on Melody Lane.  With their kindness and love, along with help from her nephew Steve Biegler and niece Joan Hartung, Shirley and Bob were able to live in the house they built for almost 50 years.

In 2012, Shirley moved to Sioux Falls after Bob passed away.  Shirley lived at the Avera Prince of Peace Retirement Community and enjoyed new friendships with the residents and staff.  Shirley passed away at the Dougherty Hospice House on October 31, 2016, surrounded by her family.

Survivors include their nine children: Lenn Haffeman of CO, LeeAnne (Charlie) Santiago of MD, Patrice (Kazuo) Udagawa-Haffeman of MD, Priscilla (Ivanio) Ribeiro of Brazil, Ritch (Kim) Haffeman of SD, Paul (Nadine) Haffeman of MT, Michelle (Patrick) Thies of SD, John (Sheila) Haffeman of SD, and Chris (Michelle) Haffeman of MN; 24 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

Shirley was preceded in death by her husband, Bob; her parents, Alma and Leo Biegler; her mother and father-in-law, Anna and George Haffeman; her brother, Le Roy; and sister-in-law, Mary Biegler.

Shirley was a patient and loving wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend. We were blessed to have her in our lives and she will be greatly missed.