Shirley Ann Stanwood

Shirley Stanwood, age  96, died peacefully on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024, at Avantara of Clark, SD.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, January 2, 2025, from 5:00-7:00 PM at Furness Funeral Home with the rosary at 7:00 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 AM at St. Michael Catholic Church of Clark on Friday, January 3, 2025, with the Reverend Richard Baumberger as Celebrant.  Following a lunch, burial will take place at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery of Watertown, SD.

Shirley was born on November 20, 1928, in Rutland, ND to parents Chas and Florence (Dalman) Cryan. She had a brother, Charles.  She attended school in Rutland graduating from high school there.  At age 18, she moved to Watertown, SD where she began working as a telephone operator.

In 1950, she married Ralph "Buddy" Stanwood and they had two children, Terry and Cheri.  The couple later divorced.  Shirley continued living in Watertown where she was a long-time member of the Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church and also a member of the Watertown Legion Auxiliary. In 2019 after breaking her hip, she became a resident of Avantara Nursing Home in Clark.

Shirley enjoyed gardening raising all types of beautiful flowers and decorative bushes and grasses and maintained a lush lawn. She also enjoyed her pets, especially her Poodles and a Schnauzer dog. Her greatest joy was spending time with the family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother and her son, Terry.

Grateful to have shared in Shirley's life are her daughter, Cheri (Larry) Lynch of Clark, grandchildren Andrew (Shelly) Hartford of Watertown, Heidi Hartford-Thompson of Clark, Jason (Heidi) Hartford of Watertown, Brittany Stanwood and Brandie (Blake) Lynch, all of Sioux Falls, step-grandchildren, Lance (Iryina) Lynch and Jessica Lynch and several great grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren.

Furness Funeral Home of Clark is assisting the family with arrangements.