Shirley Ness

Dates

Obituary

Shirley Ness, 94, of Mitchell, SD, died Sunday, May 19, 2024, at Avera Brady Health and Rehab in Mitchell. Funeral services will be at 3:00 PM Saturday, June 1, at Harvest Community Church in Mitchell. Burial will be at Graceland Cemetery in Fulton, SD. Visitation will be Friday, May 31, from 7-8:30 PM at Bittner Funeral Chapel.

Shirley June Fillmore Ness was born June 7, 1929 to Lela (Fullerton) Fillmore and Paul Emery Fillmore at Atkinson, Nebraska. Shirley’s mother, Lela, died soon after her birth, and Shirley spent her first 18 months with her grandparents, James Boyd and Bertha Emily (Gates) Fullerton. After Shirley’s father married Lois Almeda Walker, Shirley came to live in Mitchell, South Dakota, where Paul and Lois were the YMCA and YWCA secretaries throughout Shirley’s growing up years.

Shirley attended Eugene Field grade school. She graduated from Mitchell High School in 1947. She attended Dakota Wesleyan College for one year.

She married Maynard Lee Ness in 1948. They farmed in Miner County for 50 years, before retiring and moving to Mitchell in 2000.

Shirley taught country schools in Sanborn, Miner and Hanson Counties for three years, and kindergarten in Fulton for two years. She taught Chapter One for 22 years, first at Farmer, SD, then at Alexandria. She retired in 1991.

Shirley wrote many poems, and authored and published three books through Authorhouse: “Travelers;” “Mom’s Old Testament Bible Stories: Heroes and Scoundrels;” and “Mom’s New Testament Bible Stories: Heroes and Scoundrels.”

She was a member of Harvest Community Church of the Nazarene, serving as missionary president, adult Sunday School teacher, and church board member. Shirley taught Sunday School for over 50 years. She also taught a Bible class at Firesteel Nursing Home for ten years.

The most important thing to Shirley was her relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, whom she loved with all her heart. She prayed about everything, and she prayed for everyone in her life. No matter what situation anyone faced, the answer was always prayer. 

Shirley loved her family, and was so proud of each one of them. She prayed her family through any and every situation, and constantly supported them, through thick and thin. Her legacy of faith and love will never be forgotten.

Shirley was preceded in death by… everybody! She was the last one from that generation of her family to join the big crowd awaiting her in heaven. Among those waiting for her were: Her parents; all her siblings; all her sibling’s spouses; her husband of 72 years, Maynard; all her husband’s siblings and their spouses; her daughter, Kathy Ness Buxie; an unborn son; and premature triplet grandchildren.

She’s home with the Lord, now, and with all who have gone before us. What she would say to everyone, but especially her family: “Be there! Don’t miss the party! Live for Jesus!”

Shirley is survived by her three children: Dave (Joy) Ness of Everett, WA; Bill (Helen) Ness of Olathe, KS; and Julie (Dave) Jamison of Huntsville, AL. She is also survived by her nine grandchildren: Debbie (Mike) Jasiczek; Danny (Megan) Buxie; Heidi Ness; Caleb (Catie) Ness; Ethan Ness; Brian Ness; Glenn Ness; Rebekah Jamison; Steven (Colleen) Jamison; two great-grandchildren: Reagan Buxie and Ellie Buxie; son-in-law, Joe Buxie; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Harvest Community Church or to Noah’s FARM: https://noahsfarm.org/

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