Shirley L. Eman

Shirley L. Eman, 85, Bismarck, went to heaven on April 25, 2019.

Services will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, May 4, at Bethel Lutheran Church, 615 E. Turnpike Ave., Bismarck, with Rev. Jonathan Walla officiating.

There will be no visitation, cremation has taken place.

Shirley was born to Oscar W. and Myrtle M. Doepke in rural McLean County on her grandfather’s farm. As an infant, the 6^th of 12 siblings, she moved to the current “Doepke” farm off highway 83 between Wilton and Washburn. Shirley went from a one-room school to graduate from Washburn High School. She married Donald Eman in Washburn on September 21, 1952, and to this union two sons, Michael and Stanley and one daughter, Cheryl, were born. Shirley was fortunate to stay at home raising her children. She was an accomplished seamstress, able to sew men’s suits, formal wear, and dolls. She also excelled in the kitchen, well-known by her grandkids for her chocolate donuts, chocolate chip cookies, bread, and caramel rolls.

While her husband gardened, Shirley canned a wide variety of garden produce and fruits; including her special strawberry rhubarb jam. She was a founding member of Bethel Lutheran Church and served as a teacher for vacation bible school, Sunday school, and as a member of the alter guild and LWML.

Shirley is survived by her sons, Michael (Kimberly) Eman, Westminster, CO, and Stanley (Laurie) Eman, Houston, TX; her daughter, Cheryl (Ed) Koc, Woodland Park, CO; nine grandchildren, four great-grandchildren; a sister and a brother.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Donald; six brothers; and three sisters.