Obituary of Shirley Egan

Shirley Egan, age 89, of Walker Westwood Ridge in West St.Paul, died January 22, 2019, following a stroke. Shirley Louise Brownell was born on January 2, 1930, in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Jay William and Ida Lydia (Ortman) Brownell. Shirley was only 12 years old when their mother died. Her father died five months before Shirley graduated from Minneapolis Central High in June of 1947. Shirley worked as a bank teller until her marriage to Hilary Orlin Egan on June 17, 1950. They lived in the Minneapolis area until moving with her growing family to Rochester in the mid 1950s, to St. Paul in the late 1950’s, and to Marshall in 1965. In September of 1967, Shirley joined the Charter Class of the new Southwest Minnesota State College (now Southwest Minnesota State University). In June of 1971, she was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education and taught as an elementary teacher for a year. Shirley was then hired by SMSC in 1972 as a paraprofessional in the Education Lab where she worked for the next ten years. In 1982, she transferred to the Business Office as an account clerk where she worked until her retirement in 1989. Her hobbies included gardening, traveling and genealogy. She and Hilary were Florida snowbirds for several winters. In 1992, they moved to Clearwater, FL and later to Oldsmar, FL. They relocated to West St. Paul in 2009 to be closer to family. In recent years, Shirley enjoyed puzzles, books on tape, computer games, Skype chats and catching Jeopardy. Although her hearing and vision were failing, she kept her marbles and her sense of humor.

Shirley was widowed in July of 2017 from Hilary Egan, her loving husband of 67 years. They have five children: daughter Teresa Egan of Oakdale, her daughter Melissa Montgomery and great-grandson Derrick Montgomery, Jr of Oakdale; son Peter and his wife Carol Egan of Mendota Heights, their children Ellie Egan of Minneapolis and Kevin Egan of Sejong, South Korea; son Tom and his wife Betty of Fairmont, their children Elizabeth Egan of Shelton, WA and John and his wife Rachel Egan and great-grandson Olin of Blaine; daughter Mary and her husband Robert Kittleson of Ceylon, their children Jaci and her husband Alan Sinnett and great-grandchild due in April of Lincoln NE, Carter Kittleson of Sacramento, CA and Nolan and his wife Beth Kittleson of Ceylon; son Patrick Egan of Minnetonka.

Her sister Gloria Mae died in 2012, Shirley is also survived by Gloria’s husband Robert Zink of West Lafayette, IN, and their sons Dave (Karen), Rich (Ginny), and Bill (Bonnie) Zink. Shirley was also the last remaining aunt of a large generation of Egan nieces and nephews, outliving Hilary’s twelve siblings and their spouses.

A joint memorial service for Shirley and Hilary, and interment at Fort Snelling National Cemetery are pending.