Shirley Joyce Waagmeester

Rock Rapids, IA Shirley Waagmeester, age 82 of Rock Rapids, IA died Monday, April 8, 2013 at Sanford Hospice Cottage in Sioux Falls, SD. Funeral service will be 2:00 PM, Friday, April 12, 2013 at United Methodist Church in Rock Rapids, IA with Rev. Marcia Sangel officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery in Rock Rapids. Visitation will be Thursday, April 11th from 2:00 to 8:00 PM with family present from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Jurrens Funeral Home in Rock Rapids, IA. Shirley Joyce Waagmeester was born on September 23, 1930 in Harrisburg, South Dakota, the daughter of Lorenz and Laura (Mehl) Messner. She was raised on the family farm near Harrisburg, South Dakota and graduated from Harrisburg High School. After high school she was employed at Sunshine Mutual Insurance Company in Sioux Falls, SD. She was united in marriage to Merle Waagmeester on June 24, 1951. Following their marriage, while Merle was in the U.S. Army, they were stationed at Manhattan, Kansas where Shirley worked at Kansas State University in the Agronomy Department, later they were stationed at Pacific Grove, California. After Merle completed his military service they moved to Rock Rapids, Iowa. Shirley spent the majority of her time raising their family and assisting with the family insurance business. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and an active member of the Rock Rapids United Methodist Church holding many offices over the years. She loved to crochet, knit, maintain her flowers and plants, enjoyed having coffee with her friends and spending time with her grandchildren. She is survived by four children: Randy and his wife Kim of Rock Rapids, Iowa and their children Tyler, Tori, Whitney and Veronica; Terry and his wife Vickie of Lakeville, Minnesota and their children Joshua and his wife Crystal, Justin and Chelsea; Gary and his wife Yvette of Rock Rapids, Iowa and their children Alex and Jay; daughter Cindy and her husband Kevin Trager of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; one great-grandchild Kendyl; brother Bob Messner of Harrisburg, South Dakota; sisters LaVonne Anderson of Colman, South Dakota and Margie Corbett of Kalispell, Montana; and other extended family members. Shirley was preceded in death by her parents Lorenz and Laura Messner; husband Merle Waagmeester; sisters, Donna Burnett and Betty Hill. Memorials may be directed in memory of Shirley Waagmeester to: Huntington's disease Society of America, Sioux Valley Chapter, P.O. Box 2675, Sioux Falls, SD 57101 or The United Methodist Church in Rock Rapids, IA.