Shirlee Ann Muetzel
Shirlee Ann Muetzel, age 91 of Lonsdale, passed away peacefully May 14, 2024
Shirlee was born August 12, 1932 to Harry Harvey Jahnke and Luella Adeline Lueck Jahnke south of Olivia, MN. She attended school in Renville and Danube and graduated in 1950. Shirlee and her husband Maurice Milo Muetzel were married 61 years, Ruby and Lori were born to this union. Maurice passed November 3, 2014.
Shirlee served in the Anoka and New Prague schools as a hot lunch cook for 25 years. With a nurturing soul, she immersed herself in raising dogs and showing horses. Her hands crafted quilts using the show ribbons her daughters and husband won over the years as well a quilts for Lutheran World Relief.
Shirlee’s journey was one of adventure and resilience, marked by travels to Wyoming for hunting and Canadian waters for fishing. They moved frequently, following Maurice’s construction career through various locales. When they moved to Lonsdale in 1972, they started a feeder pig business and Shirlee took the lead caring for the pigs.
Their love endured even through harrowing trials, from surviving a propane explosion in northern Minnesota while camping (1993), a tornado striking their home near Mora, MN, surviving breast cancer, and to enduring a home robbery in Arizona. Shirlee’s faith and spirit remained unbroken.
Shirlee is survived by her two daughters, Ruby (Grant) Florine of Rochester, Lori (Randy) Stangler of Grand Marais; granddaughters, Terinee Stangler, Cassy (Paul) Simon, Emily (Britten) Block, Lori (Taylor) Schepp; great-grandchildren, Jackson, Milo, Stella, Bohumil, Sylvia, and Samuel Simon; Evelyn, Jacob, and Lucas Block; Everett, Esther, and Gordon Schepp; her brother, Jerome (Mabel) Jahnke of Redwood Falls, and her sister, Ramona Warner of Redwood Falls, many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and special friend Rich Rahn. She was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Luella Jahnke, her husband, Maurice, and her brother, Richard Jahnke as well as many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and a niece and a nephew.
A Memorial Service will be held 11 AM Saturday, May 18, 2024 at Trondhjem Lutheran Church, 7525 Garfield Ave., Lonsdale, MN. Gathering of family and friends one hour prior to service.
White Funeral Home
Lonsdale 507-744-2368
