Shirley Jean (Lanquist) Sweum

Age 96, Passed away 7 September after a brief illness at her residence at Croixdale, Bayport, MN.

Shirley was the first child born to Reuben and Tess (Vogel) Lanquist in February 1921 in Duluth, MN. She was joined by brother David Winton a little more than a year later.

Growing up in Duluth Shirley was active in choral singing, Jobs Daughters and the Girl Scouts. In 1938 she received the Golden Eaglet, the highest award in Girl Scouting. She graduated from Duluth Central High School in 1939.

Her first job out of school was in Duluth at Northwestern Bell working as a telephone operator. Then in 1942 a good friend convinced her to make the move to Tucson, AZ, where Shirley stayed with phones, but at the switchboard of the Southern Arizona Bank and Trust.

World War II cut that experience short as Shirley joined her Navy-pilot brother in the military by enlisting in the U. S. Coast Guard. Hardly commonplace in November 1943 the Tucson newspapers had articles about Shirley, "the first Tucson woman to enlist in the SPARS, the U. S. Coast Guard Women's Reserve."

Shirley took her basic training in Palm Beach, FL, served honorably from 1943 until discharge in May, 1946 as Seaman 2nd Class. Her primary duty station was New York City where she was attached to Captain of the Port doing ship-to-shore communications.

Shirley's service was disheartened, however, by news of brother David Winton, Navy Ensign, in May, 1945 being listed missing-in-action.

Discharged from the Coast Guard Shirley returned to Duluth where she met Ross W. Sweum while both were working at the Minnesota Department of Employment Services. They then were married in 1947 at the Minneapolis, MN, Veterans' Hospital where Shirley's father was a patient.

Ross and Shirley started their family in St. Paul, MN, with the arrival of Susan Jean. Winton Ross arrived several years later. Sister Sara Ann waited until the Sweums had returned to Duluth where they stayed until 1957.

The fivesome returned south eventually raising their children through most of their grammar school time and all of their high school and college years while residing in S. St. Paul, MN.

In raising their children, Shirley was active in the home with her love of family, cooking, baking, canning, sewing, knitting, swimming and, later in life, a good book. Outside she actively volunteered notably doing so at Midway Hospital (formerly of St. Paul), Green Lake Conference Center, Green Lake, WI, and First Baptist Church, St. Paul. She undertook a missions trip to Costa Rica with First Baptist friends in 1998 at age 77.

Throughout her adult life Shirley was active at First Baptist as a committed church member but especially as one working preparing meals in the church kitchen and engaged in mission efforts, Sunday school, White Cross, and the Merry Marthas.

On Ross' retirement, Shirley enjoyed a vacation home in Bella Vista, AK. They traveled there seasonally for thirteen years until 1995. In Bella Vista, she and Ross helped found the Judson Baptist Church.

Also at this time Shirley moved from her home in S. St. Paul to a condominium residence in W. St. Paul, MN. It was here where she lost her husband of 48 years to cancer.

Shirley stayed living independently in W. St. Paul and active in church for the next 18 years. At age 90 she did stop herself from driving, fortunately, due to her macular degeneration. Apparently, "cars had become hard to see."

Shirley stubbornly sold her condo and moved into assisted-living at Southview Senior Living in W. St. Paul in 2014. While there a hip fracture requiring extra care necessitated a move. In early 2015 Shirley moved finally into Croixdale in Bayport, MN.

At Croixdale she made a ready impression on the varied staff with her candid attitude and fresh sense of humor. Even approaching the end, her dementia was not able to contain her.

Shirley Jean is survived by daughter, Sue (Ron) Ausan, son, Winton, daughter, Sara (Mike) Gaughan, granddaughters, Alissa Ausan (Mark) Anderson and Kristen Ausan (Ian) Ragsdale and great granddaughter, Sloane Anderson.

Memorials preferred to First Baptist Church, St. Paul, or Girl Scouts.

Private internment at Park Hill Cemetery, Duluth, MN