Esther "Shirley" Forde

Esther “Shirley” Forde, age 91, of Decorah, IA, died on Saturday, March 2, 2019, at Northgate Care Center in Waukon, IA. Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, March 6, 2019 at the Big Canoe Lutheran Church rural Decorah, with Rev. Kurt Bockoven presiding. Burial will be in the Iowa River Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9:00am until the time of service on Wednesday at the Church. The Schluter-Balik Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Esther Shirley Forde was born on July 12, 1927 the daughter of Theodore and Amanda (Sande) Berge near Springwater, IA. She attended Pleasant #8 and Pleasant #1 country schools. After finishing school, Shirley helped her parents on the farm. She married Omer Forde on June 2, 1948 at the Big Canoe Lutheran Church. Together they farmed near Sattre from 1949 until 2005. Shirley was a lifelong member of Big Canoe Lutheran Church. She enjoyed gardening, canning fruits and vegetables, sewing, collecting cookbooks, raising her chickens and sheep and most of all, just being on the farm. Shirley is survived by two daughters: Barbara (Rich) Hammel, Decorah, IA; and Julie (Rick) Bakken, Decorah, IA. One son: Robert Forde, Decorah, IA. Three grandchildren: Jeremy (Deanna) Bakken, Ashley (Alex) Imhoff and Sarah Hammel. Great grandson: Memphis Imhoff. Sisters: Bernice (Paul) Arneson, Decorah, IA and Lucille (Norman “Jake”) Jacobson, Loveland, CO. Brother-in-law: Arlan Forde, Decorah, IA. Sister-in-law: Marie Forde, Alburnett, IA along with many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. Shirley was preceded in death by her husband Omer in 2011. Parents: Theodore and Amanda (Sande) Berge. Sister: Irene Gulrud. Brothers-in-law: Forrest Forde, Merle Forde, Gordon (Evelyn) Forde and Floyd Forde in infancy. Sisters-in-law: Inez (Ted) Gjere and Marge Forde.