Octiva Annie (Motzko) Shimota

Octiva Shimota, passed away early Friday, March 3, 2023, at Meadow Place in Long Prairie. Octiva lived here on earth for 101 years, 7 months, and 29 days!

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Saturday, March 18, 2023, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Clarissa at 11:00 AM. Visitation will take place at the church on Friday, March 17, 2023, from 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM. Rosary will be prayed at 3:45 PM that day and a prayer service will start at 6:30 PM, after the visitation time.  Visitation will continue the day of mass one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at the church cemetery, immediately following the mass.

Both visitations and services will take place at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery or the Clarissa Senior Center

Octiva Annie (Motzko) Shimota was born July 5, 1921 to Stanley and Mary (Clasemann) Motzko in Hartford Township. Octiva attended Country School and Browerville Public School. 

Octiva married Joseph (Joe) Shimota on September 2, 1941 at St. Peter’s Church in Browerville. To their union were born three children Shirley, Joseph Jr and Beverly. They lived on the Shimota Family farm with Joe’s folks.  Octiva worked at a café in Long Prairie and after marriage helped on the family farm where she raised chickens, tended a huge vegetable garden, and grew a beautiful flower garden of which she was most proud of the climbing rose bush. She shared her enjoyment of sewing and crocheting by gifting every child and grandchild with quilts and Afghans created with her strong working hands. On Saturdays, you would always find fresh Kolache’s fresh from the oven!  Octiva also worked at a sewing factory in Staples and then at the Co-op Store that became Jon’s Family Food and Clarissa Drug Store. 

Octiva was active in the community, being a member of the Hoe and Hope Garden Club, St. Joseph’s Christian Mothers, Clarissa Museum, and Senior Citizen Center. She received honors as Clarissa Days Senior Citizen Queen and Todd County Senior Citizen Queen in 2013 and was thrilled to be the Grand Marshall in the 2021 Clarissa Days Parade in celebration of her 100th birthday. 

Octiva is survived by her daughter Beverly (Robert) Geraets, son-in-law Bill Revering, and daughter-in-law Yvonne Shimota.  Grandchildren, Brenda (Steve) Sherwood, Brad (Jennifer) Revering, Jennifer Revering, Sara (Jesse) Holm, John Shimota, Stephanie (Coltor) Shimota, Christopher Geraets, Amanda (Ryan) Wagner, and step-grandchildren Angie (Dean) Krebs, Lauren, Hunter & Wyatt Krebs and Mike (Alison) Benham and Taylor and Emily Benham. Great Grandchildren Blake Winkley, Megan (Johnny) Converse, Nicole (Chase) Kramer, Jack Revering, Emily Revering, Jesslyn Holm, Noah Wagner and Maya Wagner. Great, great Grandchildren Everett Converse and Charlie Converse. Sister Inez Twardowski, brothers Roy Motzko and Jim (Alice) Motzko, sister-in-law Bev Motzko and many nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death were her parents, husband Joseph, son Joseph and daughter Shirley, sisters and in-laws Edna (Martin) Hengemuhle, Beatrice (Steve) Biermaier, Jeanette (Robert) Scott, brothers Norbert (Nancy) Motzko and Giles Motzko.

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