Shirley Ensrud

Shirley Mae Ensrud was born on February 28, 1929 at Mankato, MN to Bixler and Leona (Buzick) Baker. She was raised on a farm and attended District 21 rural, one-room school in Nicollet Co. for eight years. She graduated Mankato High School while working for room and board. She was bookkeeper/receptionist for Evans Equipment Co. in North Mankato until her marriage on February 12, 1949 to Burdette Ensrud. They farmed near Delavan for three years before moving to Blue Earth where she worked in the office at Schwen Ice Cream Factory for nine years.

Shirley was employed by O.W. Oothoudt, accountant, for twenty-one years as a bookkeeper, eventually becoming a Licensed Public Accountant with membership in State and National Accounting Organizations. She had her own accounting office for nine years after Mr. Oothoudt retired. Following that, she assisted her daughter Sue with bookkeeping at Home Front.

Her interest in poetry led her to membership in So. MN poets Society at Mankato, League of MN Poets and National Federation of State Poetry Society as well as Scribblers and Writers of Blue Earth, and attendance at many state and national conventions, especially enjoying the Geraldine Dodge Poetry Festival in New Jersey where five former Poets Laureate of the U.S. presented. At age 70, she self-published her first book and at 79, her eighth.

In 2011, she was honored and humbled to be named “Woman of Achievement” in the Blue Earth area and “Poet Laureate” of the League of Minnesota Poets.

Other interests were family, entertaining, bridge, crossword and jigsaw puzzles, cryptograms, sudoku and any kind of literature. She was active in the First United Methodist Church of Blue Earth as a teacher, worship leader, UMW president, choir member, secretary/treasurer, banner maker and later various positions in Hope United Methodist.

Left to cherish her memory are her daughters, LaDonna (Roger) Dutton of Blue Earth, Debra (Egons) Teteris of Fresno, CA and Susanne (Daniel) Erdahl of Lake City, twelve grandchildren, Samantha (James) Oliver, Ryan (Arlette) Dutton, Courtney (Ted) Dutton-Chien, Andris (Sarah) Teteris, Ariana (Jason) Wood, Kelly (Cathy) Wells, Nicholas (Joy) Wells, David (Sarah) Erdahl, Alexandra Erdahl, and thirteen great grandchildren. Brother Wayne (Diane) Baker and sister-in-law LaDonna Baker. Also left to cherish her memory are Ida Jansen Teigum and Andreas Hausler.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, brothers Merle (Junice), Lyle (Eunice), Maurice (Vera) and Harold (Dorothy) and Glen, sisters Lorene (Donald) Erdmann, Inez (Newell) Herum.

Shirley passed away Tuesday November 12, 2024 at UHD in Blue Earth. Funeral services will be at 11AM Friday November 22 at Hope United Methodist Church with Rev. Lee Miller officiating. Visitation will be from 4-6PM Thursday November 21 at Patton Funeral Home and will continue one hour before the service at the church. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery – Blue Earth.