Shirley M. Joffer

Shirley M. Joffer

Shirley Mae Joffer, 80, Parker, died on April 18, 2019 at the Good Samaritan Village, Sioux Falls, SD. Funeral Services will be 10:30 am Monday, April 22, 2019 at Grace Lutheran Church, Parker, SD. Visitation with family present from 5-7 pm Sunday at the church with a Prayer Service starting at 7 pm. Arrangements with Hofmeister-Jones Funeral Home.

Shirley Mae (Osthus) Joffer was born on  February 10, 1939 to Ben and Emma (Andal) Osthus at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD.  She grew up on a farm near Harrisburg, SD where she graduated from Harrisburg High School in 1957.  On September 6, 1959 she was united in marriage to Earl Joffer at First Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, SD.  They lived in Parker, SD and to this union six children where born: Kevin, Mark, Sherry, Brent, Mike and Jeff.  After her children were raised, she established Shirley’s Lunchbox and was the charter driver for the Parker Cart Bus which she operated for over 20 years. Her friends were an important part of her life as she enjoyed for many years being part of a coffee group that met every Saturday morning.

The church was a large part of Shirley’s life beginning with being raised in First Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls where she was baptized, confirmed, and married.  Since moving to Parker, she was a very active member of Grace Lutheran Church where she was a Sunday School Teacher, chairman and devoted worker at the Grace Lutheran Fair Stand, WELCA member, chairman and co-chairman for many years.  She was a shining example of Christian service through her involvement at Grace Lutheran.

Grateful for having shared her life are her husband Earl; 4 children, Kevin (Cindy), Elk Point, SD; Mark (Lisa), Parker, SD; Brent, Brookings, SD; Sherry (Doug) DeNeui, Chancellor, SD; 13 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren; a daughter-in-law, Kim DeJong, Tea, SD; and 3 sisters in law, Janice Haas, Sioux Falls, SD; Mary Osthus, Dickson, TN; and Jean Osthus, Harrisburg, SD.  She was preceded in death by her parents, 2 sons Jeff and Mike, and 7 brothers and sisters, Orville (Kay), Clifford (Mildred), Milton, Donald, Lloyd, Arlen (Bea), and Eleanor (Darrell) Slack.