Shirley Newhouse (Holzapfel) Theel

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Theel, Shirley Newhouse (Holzapfel) May 18, 1924 - Sept. 2, 2008 Shirley came into this world at home on May 18, 1924 in her Mother's bedroom in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Complications from Alzheimer's and a failing heart took her away from this world on Sept. 2, 2008 peacefully in her sleep at Friendship Village in Bloomington, MN. A graduate of Saint Paul Central High School, a music major at Macalester College, and a long time member of the "Central Girls" and the "Thursday Club" she will be missed by many. Over the years Shirley's love of travel took her and members of her family to Mexico, Canada, Europe and many parts of the USA. Around the South Pacific and South America cruises on the QE2 and a visit to the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg, Russia were her favorites. As an accomplished pianist she played for ballet performances and at church. She never lost her love for music, using her fingers to tap out complicated Chopin Concertos at her side up until her death. With her love of the arts, she was a member of the Minnesota Symphony Guild, and a docent and volunteer at the Minneapolis Art Museum. She spent many years sharing her love of needle point, yarns and knitting while co-operating a business, the "Whiffle Tree", in Rochester, Minnesota. Hunting ducks in North Dakota, hitting a "hole-in-one" and dancing at the Minneapolis Golf and Country Club, flea market bargain hunting and walking in Palm Desert, reading new books, gardening, and working on jigsaw puzzles, Scrabble or cards with her family and friends were some of her favorite past times. Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, sister and brothers, and husbands, Fred C. Holzapfel and Robert E. Theel. She is survived by daughter, Lisa Holzapfel; son, Fred Holzapfel (Diane Stoltenberg), step daughters, Susan Bilger (Bob Bilger) , Mary Jo Bascope, Robin Berenberg (Danny Berenberg ), and Connie Page (Doug Page); stepson, Robert Theel (Linda Theel); many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. A memorial service to celebrate her life at Friendship Village, 8100 Highwood Ave, Bloomington, MN will be held on October 25th at 10:00 AM. A private family burial will follow later in the day in Rochester, MN. Memorials preferred to MS Society, Leukemia Lymphoma Society, American Heart Association, or Friendship Village Employees Program or your choice. For additional information, contact the pastors' office at Friendship Village, (952) 831-7500.

Published on October 19, 2008