Shirley Mae Johnson Sather

1923 - 2016

Shirley Mae Sather
1923 – 2016
Shirley died March 15, 2016 of natural causes at her home in Boise, Idaho at Willow Park Senior Living. She was born at home a few miles north of Kennebec, South Dakota on February 7, 1923 to Hannah Bardina Cederholm and Henry Jacob Johnson. Shirley's early years were spent on a small, rented farm on the short grass prairie of South Dakota. Along with her parents and two sisters she survived the Great Depression and Dust Bowl Days. Food and shelter from the weather were constant concerns for her parents but the goal of better lives through education for Shirley and her sisters never wavered. The family's Lutheran faith provided comfort and guidance those difficult years. Her early life experiences shaped her and later her family.
Shirley attended East Dorman School, a small country school, through eighth grade. Decades later the Johnson sisters would talk of Barbara Rearick, their school house teacher, who taught them so much. After graduating from Kennebec High School in 1940 Shirley went to Nettleton Commercial College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, living with cousins Loyal and Ida Mae Kolbrek. She started her career as a secretary and advanced rapidly earning more money with each job move. In 1945 she returned to Kennebec from Santa Monica, California to care for her mother and work at the Farm Security Administration.
Soon after moving home Shirley met her future husband, John Henry (Hank) Sather of Presho, South Dakota, at a dance she attended with her friend Jim Abdnor. She often said later, "Once I met him I never had eyes for another man." They were married in Presho, South Dakota on August 21, 1948. After marriage Shirley and Hank lived in Valentine and Lincoln, Nebraska while Hank finished his doctorate at the University of Nebraska. Daughters Kristi and Signe were born during this time. In 1955 they moved to Macomb, Illinois where they would make their home for the next 52 years. Their daughter Ingrid was born in Illinois.
While Hank taught at Western Illinois University Shirley busied herself taking care of the home and being the family financial manager. She, with Hank, exposed her daughters to opportunities she never had as a child: piano, violin and cello lessons, ballet lessons, travel, Congressional hearings, state capitols, Chicago Symphony Orchestra concerts, etc. Shirley was never wasteful and reused everything: plastic bags and containers, string, coffee tins. She could have written a book on how to not waste food.
When not taking care of family matters or traveling Shirley participated in League of Women Voters, Faculty Wives, Fortnightly, and many church activities. She took care of elderly neighbors inviting those with no family nearby to holiday dinners. She also loved to play bridge and wouldn't miss a bridge club event.
In 2007 Shirley and Hank made the trip west to Boise, Idaho where they could be closer to family. Shirley made many friends and thoroughly enjoyed being so close to her family though she dearly missed her friends in Macomb. Shirley was blessed with four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was always concerned about their welfare and they loved her for this. Christmas was always an important family holiday for Shirley with family lefse-making and lutefisk Christmas dinners. This tradition continues.
Shirley is survived by her beloved husband Hank of Boise; her daughters Kristi Sather-Smith, Signe Sather-Blair, and Ingrid Sather of Boise; her grandchildren Erika Sather-Smith, David Sather-Smith, and Sam Wickster of Boise and Hilde Bielinski of Pocatello, Idaho; and her great-grandchildren Ulysses Sather-Smith of Boise and Braxton Bielinski of Pocatello.
The family would like to thank the Willow Park Senior Living staff for their outstanding care of Shirley. We also want to thank the nice staff at Brookdale Senior Living where Hank and Shirley lived independently for several years. First Choice Hospice helped us take care of Mom and ourselves these last few weeks. Thank you. We are also grateful to Pastor Ken Carothers, Burt Echtenkamp and Redeemer Lutheran Church for the spiritual guidance and fellowship.
A memorial service will be held at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 2920 Cassia St., Boise, ID on March 25th at 3:00 p.m. A reception will follow immediately after the service at the home of Kristi Sather-Smith, 2803 Gem St., Boise.
Memorial donations for Shirley can be sent to one of the following: your local Lutheran Social Services, Humane Society or Lyman County (South Dakota) Historical Museum.