Shirley Johanna Tresselt

Age 88 of Inver Grove Heights, MN
February 22, 1936 ~ January 22, 2025
It's with great sadness that we share the loss of our mother and grandmother, Shirley Tresselt.
She was to celebrate her 89th birthday in one month to the day. Married to Richard William Tresselt for 70 years. Survived by her sons and their spouses, Rick (Barb) and Shawn (Sandra). And enjoyed her two granddaughters, Ari and Kaylè (Rick & Barb). And welcomed Joshua Brown (Kaylè) into the family.
Also survived by sister, Sheila Francis; brothers Melcum (Bucky) & Melvin Nielson.
Proceeded in death by mother, Clara; father, Jacob; brothers, Merl and Marvin. Loved by nieces and nephews from the Nielson, Tresselt, Francis, Hoffman and Paulson families.
Shirley graduated from River Falls High School in 1954.
Second oldest child, behind Merl, of Clara and Jacob Nielson.
Being the oldest daughter she helped raise her younger siblings. Three brothers and a sister. The younger children grew to know her as "Mother Superior".
At the age of thirteen she walked down the road to work for neighbor whose wife was having a baby. Shirley would cook, clean and serve the farm hands until she was a junior. When she went to stay with an Aunt Emma in St. Paul, Clara's sister. There she would get a taste of the big city working at the Golden Rule. She returned to River Falls to finish out her Junior and Senior years. In 1953 she met a sailor Richard Tresselt through an old boyfriend Earl Francis. Richard and Shirley hit it off and were married in 1954. They started out living and working at the Tresselt farm. Their first son, Ricky, soon arrived in 1956. She and Richard wanted something different in life so the idea of moving to Miami FL for Airplane Maintenance school was hatched. There Shirley would work at a local department store. And where she and Richard would drive cars for an auto dealer filming commercials for some extra money.
After Richard graduated from mechanic's school they returned to River Falls. To help his bother Bob with the farm until Richard found a job with Northwest Orient Airlines. They bought a home in Inver Grove Heights in 1959. Where they were part of the founding members of Mount Bethel Church. Shirley would find work for various companies near home. Until 1966 when their second son was born, Shawn. Shirley was then a stay at home Mom raising her two boys and selling Tupperware. In the early 70's Shirley entered real estate classes at Inver Hills Junior College getting her realtors license. She worked as an agent for Lentch Realty. She got involved with Toast Mistress where she honed her skills. She also found herself involved in the local AFS foreign exchange student program, the churches bible camps, the American Legion Women's Auxiliary and local or state politics. She would travel to Korea to bring adopted babies back to new homes. During this time, they bought property in the Danbury WI area where they built a cabin and enjoyed entertaining family and friends.
Then the couple retired in 1994 wanting to travel around the country working in state parks as host and reacquainting themselves with relatives and making new friends. Shirley also got involved with the Minnesota Historical Society and the Kinnickinnic (Church) Historical Assoc.
When their health came into in question and got to be too much when Shirley needed a pacemaker, they decided to stay home. She liked to do crossword puzzles when not playing cards at the veteran's center and the church and her scrapbooking with her Niece Terri Letourneau.
It was a diagnosis with cognitive impairment and Richard's health that in 2023 they moved to Inver Glen Senior apartments where their health was looked after. In a short time, her health was plagued by dementia and circulatory issues. She passed in her sleep January 22.
Private family interment at Greenwood Cemetery, River Falls, Wisconsin.
Shirley's Celebration of Life to be planned sometime this coming spring.