Shirley Jean Tillma, age 75, of Sioux Falls, formerly of Watertown and LaBolt, SD, passed away Thursday April 23,2020, at Avera McKennan & University Health Center in Sioux Falls. A Celebration of Life gathering will be held from 2-4:00 PM, Saturday, July 18, 2020, at the Split Rock Park Picnic Shelter in Garretson, with a short Prayer Service beginning at 3:00 PM. In the event of inclement weather, the gathering will be held at Minnehaha Funeral Home in Garretson. She will be laid to rest in Woodlawn Cemetery in Sioux Falls.
Shirley was born January 10, 1945 to Cecil and Fern Drake. She grew up near Clear Lake, SD and attended school there. In her younger years she helped her parents run a small country store called Tunnerville. She married Duane Smunk and they had a son, Lloyd. Duane passed away due to a farming accident. She later married Jerome Tillma and together they raised 6 children on the family farm near LaBolt, SD. She worked on the farm until age 40 when she took a job as a cook at Trevett’s Cafe in Milbank. She later had cooking jobs at Blue Cloud Abby and Mother of God Monastery. After retiring from farming in 2004 she moved to Watertown where she lived until 2011, she then moved to Sioux Falls, where she worked as a cook until she retired in September 2019.
She cherished the time spent with her children and grandkids. She enjoyed cooking for her family and having family get togethers. She also enjoyed watcher her children in 4-H, in their younger years and High school sports as they got older. She loved gardening and spending time outdoors.
She is survived by her mother Fern, age 99, of Milbank; four sisters, Linda, Sylvia, Ellan, Carrol; and one brother David.
Also left with her memory are her children: Lloyd (Karen) Tillma, Dan (Mari Lynn) Tillma, Mike (Lynn) Tillma, Tony (Lori) Tillma, Rodney (Nicole) Tillma and Jennifer (James) Meyer; 22 grandchildren; and 8 great grandchildren; along with many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her father Cecil, brother Jim, and sister Lillian.
Video tribute and on-line condolences at www.minnehahafuneralhome.com.
