Shirley A McLaren

Shirley A. McLaren age 85 of Detroit Lakes, MN died November 4, 2016 at the Ecumen – Emmanuel Nursing Home in Detroit Lakes, MN. Shirley Ann McLaren was born at Amenia, ND on September 27, 1931 to Earl and Esther (Fingalson) Ackerson. The family moved to International Falls and then Moorhead, MN in the early 1940’s. Shirley attended Horace Mann, Roosevelt Jr. High, Fargo Central High, and graduated from Moorhead High School in 1949. Shirley worked as a waitress at the old Comstock Hotel in Moorhead while attending Moorhead High School. After graduating she worked for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company. She met Leo McLaren in the summer of 1949. They were married January 19, 1951 and lived with her parents when Leo entered the US Navy in March of 1951. She joined Leo in Key West, Florida while he  was stationed at the US Submarine Naval Base. After his discharge they lived there until 1957 when Leo was transferred to Miami while he was employed with Winn Dixie Grocery Co. In 1960 they returned to Fargo, ND. They lived in Detroit Lakes and Bismarck, ND between 1963-1968, before moving to Grand Forks, ND. Shirley was employed at Coast to Coast in Detroit Lakes and Grand Forks, ND. She also worked at Surplus Outlet Store and Miller’s True Value. She retired in 1997 shortly after the flood. They moved to Detroit Lakes in March of 2016. Shirley enjoyed knitting Afghans, and cross stitching for everyone. But most of all she enjoyed camping with the kids and relatives in the many state parks of Minnesota, watching wildlife, birds, deer etc. (making memories). Shirley dearly loved her three little puppies, Misty, Muffie, and Brandy. She is survived by her husband, Leo; four children, Lonna Skyberg, Mark ,Tim and Dan. nine grandchildren; nine great grandchildren; three brothers; Stanley, Stewart, and Dennis Ackerson; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, one brother, Steven, and oldest son, Lynn. Funeral Services will be on Saturday, November 12, 2016; 11:00 a.m. at the West-Kjos Funeral Home in Detroit Lakes, MN. Visitation will be one hour prior to services. Interment will be in the Bakke Lutheran Cemetery, Detroit Lakes, MN.