Oral Shjeflo
d. February 17, 2013
Oral Shjeflo
A memorial service will be held for Oral at 9:00 a. m. on Saturday, August 10, 2013 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church located at 310 2nd Street West, Dickinson, ND. The services will be followed by burial at St. Patrick’s Cemetery. Following burial there will be a reception at the Elks Lodge located at 501 Elks Drive, Dickinson, ND.
Oral passed away on February 17, 2013 after 90 wonderful years.
Oral was born May 23, 1922 at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Dickinson, ND to Raphael Schnell, formerly of Richardton, ND and Clara Kittleson, formerly of Pelican Rapids, MN. Oral grew up in a large, close family. Her siblings included seven boys and four girls who survived to become adults and two girls who died as children. One of Oral’s principal jobs as third oldest child in the family was to care for her younger siblings. She was extraordinarily good at this job due to her inherent kindness, loving nature and strong organizational skills. Oral graduated from St. Patrick’s Grade School in Dickinson, ND in 1936, from Dickinson High School in 1940 and attended Interstate Business College in Fargo, ND and Dickinson State Teacher’s College in 1940-1942. Oral and her two older sisters, Lucille and Viola, left Dickinson and moved to Pasadena, California from 1942-1945 during WWII. She worked as a secretary at California Institute of Technology where they were doing experimental work on rocket development. All three sisters had a strong feeling of patriotism and pride about their contribution to the war effort. After the war, they returned to Dickinson and Oral became involved in the family livestock auction business. On June 19, 1949 Oral married her local sweetheart, a dashing former Navy pilot and civil engineer, Walter Eugene Shjeflo. Their marriage was followed by 63 fun years of raising a family in North Dakota, Montana, Idaho and Arizona; she often said those were the best years of her life. After her children were grown, Oral resumed work as an executive secretary for the Clarion Inn. She helped organize the first of the popular family reunions. They continue to this day for the large extended families of both Oral’s and Walt’s parents. She also traveled extensively, including a trip around the world. Oral’s last four years were spent with Walt at Maple Village near their daughter, Patricia Batey, in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Oral was an avid card player and thoroughly enjoyed her bridge club friends. She taught her children and grandchildren to play many card and board games, and instilled in them the importance of patience, fair play, and being a good winner and loser. She was a great cook and made delicious apple pies and plum jam from the trees in her yard, and also made exceptionally good caramels and fudge which her children and grandchildren make often. Oral was a very good friend to many, and a devoted sister/aunt/cousin/in-law to her large family. She was an exceptional mother and grandmother who taught by example the values of honesty, integrity, kindness and loyalty. Oral has hundreds of relatives and friends, and she felt close to all of them.
In her immediate family she is survived by her husband, Walter Eugene Shjeflo (now in the Montana Veteran’s Home in Columbia Falls, Montana), by five children and 11 grandchildren; Laverne Shjeflo of Paauilo, Hawaii; Walter E. Shjeflo, Jr. of Belmont, California (wife Carol) and grandchildren Erika, Colleen, Walter III and Axel; Douglas Shjeflo of Dayton, Montana (wife Trudi) and grandchildren Leif and Olivia; Joann Schwarberg of Mission Hills, Kansas (husband Craig, deceased) and grandchildren Carter, Guerin and Laine; and Patricia Batey of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan (husband Greg, deceased) and grandchildren Piper and Sissel. Oral’s love and kindness touched everyone she met and she will be remembered fondly. ?
Donations may be made in memory of Oral to Home On The Range – Sentinel Butte, North Dakota, 16351 – I94, Sentinel Butte, ND 58654, (701) 872-3745, hotrnd. com. It is a wonderful organization that provides shelter and care for children who have experienced trauma and who need love, kindness and structure to heal. You can donate online or print out a form and mail your donation
Click to View Program (PDF)
Burial Date: August 10, 2013
Funeral Home Dickinson, ND
Funeral Mass: Saturday: St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Dickinson, ND
Oral passed away on February 17, 2013 after 90 wonderful years.
Oral was born May 23, 1922 at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Dickinson, ND to Raphael Schnell, formerly of Richardton, ND and Clara Kittleson, formerly of Pelican Rapids, MN. Oral grew up in a large, close family. Her siblings included seven boys and four girls who survived to become adults and two girls who died as children. One of Oral’s principal jobs as third oldest child in the family was to care for her younger siblings. She was extraordinarily good at this job due to her inherent kindness, loving nature and strong organizational skills. Oral graduated from St. Patrick’s Grade School in Dickinson, ND in 1936, from Dickinson High School in 1940 and attended Interstate Business College in Fargo, ND and Dickinson State Teacher’s College in 1940-1942. Oral and her two older sisters, Lucille and Viola, left Dickinson and moved to Pasadena, California from 1942-1945 during WWII. She worked as a secretary at California Institute of Technology where they were doing experimental work on rocket development. All three sisters had a strong feeling of patriotism and pride about their contribution to the war effort. After the war, they returned to Dickinson and Oral became involved in the family livestock auction business. On June 19, 1949 Oral married her local sweetheart, a dashing former Navy pilot and civil engineer, Walter Eugene Shjeflo. Their marriage was followed by 63 fun years of raising a family in North Dakota, Montana, Idaho and Arizona; she often said those were the best years of her life. After her children were grown, Oral resumed work as an executive secretary for the Clarion Inn. She helped organize the first of the popular family reunions. They continue to this day for the large extended families of both Oral’s and Walt’s parents. She also traveled extensively, including a trip around the world. Oral’s last four years were spent with Walt at Maple Village near their daughter, Patricia Batey, in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Oral was an avid card player and thoroughly enjoyed her bridge club friends. She taught her children and grandchildren to play many card and board games, and instilled in them the importance of patience, fair play, and being a good winner and loser. She was a great cook and made delicious apple pies and plum jam from the trees in her yard, and also made exceptionally good caramels and fudge which her children and grandchildren make often. Oral was a very good friend to many, and a devoted sister/aunt/cousin/in-law to her large family. She was an exceptional mother and grandmother who taught by example the values of honesty, integrity, kindness and loyalty. Oral has hundreds of relatives and friends, and she felt close to all of them.
In her immediate family she is survived by her husband, Walter Eugene Shjeflo (now in the Montana Veteran’s Home in Columbia Falls, Montana), by five children and 11 grandchildren; Laverne Shjeflo of Paauilo, Hawaii; Walter E. Shjeflo, Jr. of Belmont, California (wife Carol) and grandchildren Erika, Colleen, Walter III and Axel; Douglas Shjeflo of Dayton, Montana (wife Trudi) and grandchildren Leif and Olivia; Joann Schwarberg of Mission Hills, Kansas (husband Craig, deceased) and grandchildren Carter, Guerin and Laine; and Patricia Batey of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan (husband Greg, deceased) and grandchildren Piper and Sissel. Oral’s love and kindness touched everyone she met and she will be remembered fondly. ?
Donations may be made in memory of Oral to Home On The Range – Sentinel Butte, North Dakota, 16351 – I94, Sentinel Butte, ND 58654, (701) 872-3745, hotrnd. com. It is a wonderful organization that provides shelter and care for children who have experienced trauma and who need love, kindness and structure to heal. You can donate online or print out a form and mail your donation
Click to View Program (PDF)
Burial Date: August 10, 2013
Funeral Home Dickinson, ND
Funeral Mass: Saturday: St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Dickinson, ND
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