Shirley M. Schahn, 90 years of age, passed away on February 10, 2026, at The Galeon Care Center in Osakis, MN.

A celebration of life service will be held Sunday, March 29, 11 am at the Browerville Community Center.

 

 

She was born to John and Gertrude Hartmann on November 28, 1935 in Valley City, ND. The family later moved to Parkers Prairie then to Alexandria, MN where she finished high school.

After graduation, she worked as a bookkeeper at Herbergers in Osakis, then the extension service for Todd County in Long Prairie. She met her future husband Roger Schahn through her roommate while working in Long Prairie. After a four year courtship, they were united in marriage on April 4, 1964 at St. Mary’s Mount Caramel Church in Long Prairie.  They were together for 57 years until Roger passed away in 2021. To this union 5 children were born. They purchased a small farm North of Long Prairie where they milked cows, tended the land and raised their family. She loved rock picking and annoying her kids by picking or pointing out the “too small” rocks that “needed” to be picked.

She had a true green thumb, having a love for all types of flowers, she could always be found in her many flower beds she had, if there was any space, flowers would be planted there.

She was a member of the Browerville/Long Prairie Homemaker’s group for many years, where she formed many life-time friendships.

During her life she filled roles of being a farmer’s wife, mother, bookkeeper until computers came into the picture, an independent insurance sales representative, cleaning houses, care worker at Meridian and Oakridge Group Homes, grandmother, great grandmother and lastly volunteering as a foster grandparent at the Bertha-Hewitt School, working with the Headstart children, where she told many stories of the kids she worked with, keeping her young at heart.

When the grandbabies came, she was always available to care for them wherever they were located, she loved rocking them as infants, and watching them grow up. She enjoyed spending time with a cup of coffee or tea just visiting with family and friends that would stop over.

She always said she was a gypsy by heart, if she had a chance she would move or travel anywhere in a heartbeat. She and Roger would spend countless miles in the later years just driving, checking out different places with no destination in mind. She did have the opportunity to visit Charleston, SC with her oldest daughter, experiencing many firsts in flying, seeing the ocean and just being somewhere different.

Preceding Shirley in death were her husband Roger, daughter Linda; parents, John and Gertrude Hartmann; brothers Jerome and Donald Hartmann; sister Virginia Johnson; In-laws: Leo and Devona Schahn.

Survivors include son Allan Schahn of St. Cloud; daughters: Maria May (fiancé Neil) of Alexandria, Sandy (Tom) Gjerstad of Osakis and Heidi Schahn of Bertha; Grandchildren: Samantha (Adam) Leedahl of Glenwood, John, Miles, Kolten, Tessa and Spencer Gjerstad of Osakis; Travis and Trevor May of Browerville. Great-Grand child, Oaklynn Leedahl and another on the way, and many nieces and nephews.

She will be truly missed by her children, grandchildren and extended family and friends.