Terrence Shirley

     Private Family Services for Terry Shirley, 68, of Fargo, will be held on Friday, March 27, 2020 at West Funeral Home in West Fargo, ND.  Burial will take place on Saturday, March 28, in Medora Community Cemetery, Medora, ND.

     Despite beating leukemia and lymphoma, Terry passed away Saturday, March 21, 2020 at Sanford Health in Fargo.

     Terry Wayne Shirley was born October 14, 1951 in Fergus Falls, MN, the son of William and Margaret (Olson) Shirley.  He attended Fergus Falls Public Schools, graduating high school with the class of 1971.  After graduating from Wadena Technical College in 1972, Terry began his career as a telephone technician with Polar Telephone at the ABM site in Nekoma, ND.  It was during this time that he met Audrey Tisor.  The couple was united in marriage on May 17, 1975, at St. John Lutheran Church in Dickinson, ND.

     Terry and Audrey moved to Pella, IA, in 1977, where Terry worked for Continental Telephone.   Later that year, the couple transferred to Devils Lake, ND.  It was here they welcomed their son, Brian (1978) and their daughter, Erica (1980) to their family.   After seven years in Devils Lake, the family moved to Williston, ND, when Terry began working with Mid-Tel Telephone.  In 1993, he became employed with Souris River Telephone (SRT) and traveled between Williston and Minot.   After 18 years of service, Terry retired from SRT in 2010. 

     Terry enjoyed taking day trips on his Harley Davidson motorcycle and driving his Camaro.  He loved his Saturday visits to the Masons of Moorhead for a weekly “all you can eat” pancake contest with his son-in-law, Dennis, and grandson Brian (Terry usually won!).   In Terry’s opinion, breakfast at “The Shack” in Fargo was the best way to start the day, and the MN Twins, MN Vikings, and NDSU Bison were the best teams to cheer for.   He was a fan of National Hot Rod Association races, loved classic cars and old tractors, therefore also enjoyed the Rollag Steam show.  Terry loved the family farm near Rothsay, MN, and would help there during summers.

     Family meant everything to Terry, and he cherished time spent with his wife, daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren.  The title of Grandpa brought him tremendous joy.  He loved family camping trips: especially those to the North Shore of MN, Medora, and South Dakota where he would put a dollar or two in the slot machine.

     Terry is survived by his wife, Audrey; daughter Erica (Dennis) Healy of Fargo; grandchildren, Reese, Brian and Easton Healy, all of Fargo; his sister Linda (Wayne) Brunton of WA; brother-in-law, Lee (Garnet) Tisor, Dickinson, ND; nephews and nieces, Dan (Molly) Brunton of OR, Melissa Brunton of WA, Jessica (Ryan) Schneibel of Fargo, Logan Tisor of Fargo, and Morgan Tisor of Mandan; uncle Barney Edwards of MN; and many cousins.

     Terry was preceded in death by his son Brian Shirley; parents William and Margaret Shirley; and his parents-in-law, Leo and Harriet Tisor. 

     In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials in Terry’s honor be made to the Hope Lodge of Minneapolis, 2500 University Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414.

West Funeral Home & Life Tribute Center 

westfuneralhome.com

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