Shirley Greenslade

Shirley R. Greenslade, age 99, of Decorah, IA, passed away Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at Barthell O. E. S. Home in Decorah. Private Family Burial will be in Burr Oak Cemetery in Burr Oak, IA with Karen Carlton officiating. Shirley Ruth (Erickson) Benson Greenslade was born on June 29, 1921 at home on their family farm southeast of Burr Oak, Iowa, the daughter of Albert C. and Florence (Price) Erickson. Shirley walked to the Van Vliet Rural School for all eight grades. She then started high school at Burr Oak High School for her freshman year. She rode a pony to school, then it was too slow, so her dad bought a riding horse which she then rode. She then attended Decorah High School for the last three years. During the week she stayed in town with Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Brickner. At Decorah High School her beautiful singing voice was noticed, and she sang with the High School Chorus all three years. During the last two years at Decorah High School Shirley took special classes for Normal Training which prepared students to teach school. She did practice teaching in Hesper #4 School, passed her Iowa test and was certified to teach school. During the summers Shirley was active in the Burr Oak Wonder Workers 4-H Club. Shirley and Joyce Smith Erickson won a baking demonstrating at the Winneshiek County Fair. As winners they represented Winneshiek County at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines receiving Honorable Mention for their demonstration. At the fair Shirley sang a solo “The 4H Song” over the WHO radio station, the leading radio station in Iowa. She then taught for three years at the Butler School west of Burr Oak. She then went back to college and graduated from Iowa State Teacher’s College in Cedar Falls in May 1948. She took a teaching job in Postville, Iowa where she taught 2 years. She then went back to Cedar Falls and worked at the Methodist Wesleyan Foundation and then the First Methodist Church in Cedar Falls. She worked in that office for 5 years. She went back to teaching and took a job in Fort Dodge, Iowa. While teaching in Fort Dodge she was introduced to Nels Samuelson. Over a year later they became engaged and were planning a June wedding when he died suddenly in March. Through letters Shirley was introduced to Carl Benson, a farmer from Bucklin, Missouri. They were married on June 24, 1967. She enjoyed living on his farm where she had big garden and canned and froze vegetables. Carl died January 1, 1989 and he was buried in a cemetery 2 miles from his farm in Bucklin. She moved back to Iowa to live with her parents in their home in Burr Oak. Across the yard to the south lived Ralph Greenslade, a Burr Oak native. Ralph’s wife had passed away 14 years before. Ralph’s daughter Nancy and a friend helped get Ralph and Shirley together. They were married on December 7, 1991 at the Burr Oak United Methodist Church across the street from her house. Ralph died February 29, 2004. Shirley was a member of the Burr Oak Joan of Arc Club and was very active in the Burr Oak United Methodist Church, including being the church organist. She had a love of music and singing, and she had beautiful singing voice. Shirley moved to Decorah into an apartment in Arlin Falk Assisted Living. In 2012 she moved into the Barthel Order of Eastern Star Nursing Home. She was preceded in death by her parents and her two husbands Carl Benson and Ralph Greenslade. Shirley is survived by her brother Norris (Jane) Erickson of Bellevue, Nebraska; two nieces, Wendy Erickson of Omaha, Nebraska and Tracy (Dan) Rynders of Beavercreek, Oregon; and one nephew Todd (Kristie) Erickson of Bigfork, Montana.