Shirley Ann Hyland, age 93, of Spring Valley, Minn., died peacefully on Thursday, February 22, 2024, at the Spring Valley Care Center in Spring Valley, Minn.
Shirley was born on March 20, 1930, in Mower County, Minn., to Harold and Helen (Bateman) Douglas. Shirley was a proud member of the 1948 graduating class of Spring Valley High School. On September 20, 1949, Shirley married Lester Hyland. To this union, four children were born, Ron, Rick, Rob, and Rebecca. Lester passed away November 15, 2017.
In her early years, Shirley worked at the Sno-Cap Drive-In in Rochester. She had wonderful memories of the job and would recount stories of visits from the staff of the Rochester Fire Station across the street. She also worked at Libby’s in Rochester as a cutter on the corn line. After that, she became a surgical recorder at Saint Mary’s Hospital. In those days, the surgical recorder would attend the surgery and take notes in short hand as the surgeon worked. When the Spring Valley Hospital opened in 1962, Shirley joined the medical records department. She later became the head of medical records and worked at the Spring Valley Hospital for 30 years; retiring shortly before the hospital closed. Her office area is now a part of the Spring Valley Living. Coming to live at the Spring Valley Care Center in the last year of her life was a return to her “work home.” She loved to tell the current staff about her history in the facility.
Les and Shirley loved living on their hobby farm. In the early years raising sheep and horses. As the years passed, the animals were sold, and new hobbies took their time including gardening and camping. Shirley spent countless summer hours in the large raspberry patch and making jam. Shirley loved to travel when the opportunity was available; she loved to see the country and preferred back-road adventures. She was able to travel to 18 states, Canada, and Norway. Shirley volunteered her time in many functions at Faith United Methodist Church, at the tourist stand, and tours at the Spring Valley Methodist Church Museum. In her spare time, Shirley loved playing the accordion and piano, bowling, going dancing, attending water aerobics, knitting, and doing word finds. She also enjoyed visiting around a table with anyone available; she rarely missed afternoon tea at the care center. She also loved playing cards with her cherished friends, the Card Ladies. Most of all, she loved her family deeply and cherished moments with all of them. She was always available to watch her beloved grandchildren and organized several years of family reunions.
Shirley is survived by her children: Ron (Renee Jertson) Hyland of Waseca, Minn., Rob (Holly Peck) Hyland of Laguna Vista, Tex., Rebecca (Tom) Munns of Owatonna, Minn., and daughter-in-law Janine Hyland of Stewartville, Minn.; nine grandchildren: Krista Hyland, Travis Hyland, Trenton Hyland, Ben Hyland, Kameron Hyland, Kasi Tompkins, Tali Hyland, Andrew Munns, and Abby Munns; 11 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; brother Howard “Butch” (Judy) Douglas of Spring Valley, Minn.; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Lester Hyland, son Rick Hyland, and her sister Charlotte Briggs.
Funeral services for Shirley will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, February 29, 2024, at Faith United Methodist Church in Spring Valley, with Pastor Mark Woodward officiating. Visitation will be held from 12-2 p.m. prior to the service at the church. Burial will take place at Frankford Cemetery.
Online condolences may be left at www.Hindtfuneralhomes.com.