Shirley Ann (Swanson) Smith, 87, of Esmond, ND passed away December 25, 2023 at St. Aloisius Nursing Home in Harvey, ND.  Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 PM Saturday, March 30, 2024 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in rural Esmond, ND.  Visitation will begin one hour prior to the service.  Donations to her memory can be made to the Maddock Memorial Home: 301 Roosevelt Avenue, Maddock, ND 58348, the Anne Carlsen Center, P.O. Box 8000, Jamestown, ND 58402 or to the Vasa Cemetery, in care of Keith Smith: 4371 41st Street NE, Maddock, ND 58348.

Shirley Ann (Swanson) Smith was born in Minot, ND to Carl "Eddie" Swanson and Norma (Lien) Swanson on April 3, 1936.  Eddie was teaching school in Granville, ND at the time.

The family moved to Hesper Township in 1938 and Shirley attended school in Hesper and Isabel.  She graduated from BCATS in Maddock in 1954.

Shirley met Reuben Smith at a dance in Baker in 1955.  They were married on July 8, 1956, and lived on the O.J. Freeman farm until 1959 when they moved back to the Smith family farm, where they built their home.

The couple had four children: Kimberly Jo, Dawn Elizabeth, Keith Alan and Gregg Reuben.

Shirley was active in the Dem-NPL for many years.  She had a flair for art, comedy and staying up until "all hours of the night" working on projects to sell or give to others.  If you didn't have an original embroidered towel or shirt, or a sweatshirt with a special knitted panel on it she designed just for you, chances are, you hadn't met her yet.  She also made many quilts and blankets for her grandchildren.  She was an accomplished seamstress (and a bit of a perfectionist) and made countless outfits for her daughters and others.  She collected nativity sets which adorned her living room shelves until she moved to the Memorial Home apartments and had to downsize.

Shirley helped design the addition to the family home and was up on a ladder painting the finishing touches on the trim while she was pregnant with son Gregg.  She also wanted the farm to be a fun place for her children and others in the community.  A large, above ground pool brought neighbors regularly, and Shirley became known as the queen of Rice Krispie bar making!

Despite two major health setbacks, Shirley was strong and never let it stop her from being active and involved in the community and giving back.

She often brought smiles to people's faces in Maddock's Prairie Players musical productions, most notably as a dancing Carmen Miranda.  Shirley also had a way with words and wrote the Isabel news for the Benson County Farmers Press for many years.  She was also known to frequently pen lively rhyming Christmas letters.

Shirley followed in her mother's footsteps, creating many beautiful paintings she often gave to family and friends.  She painted a picture of Mattie Grinnell, the last remaining full-blooded Mandan, which hung in the office of North Dakota Senate minority leader, Sebastian "Buckshot" Hoffner, in late 1970's.

Shirley passed away Christmas Day, December 25, 2023. She is survived by three children, Dawn (Brad) Pfeifer, Keith (Cindy) Smith and Gregg (Karen) Smith; 7 grandchildren, Adam Pfeifer and his fiancée Leanna Schmidt, Britta Pfeifer, Aaron (Tiffany) Smith, Jason (Marta) Smith, Kelsey (Wyatt) Toso, Jordan (Jayla) Smith and Kristen Smith and partner Alex Brandvold; 7 great-grandchildren, Talyn and Rowan Smith, Kade Smith, Collins and Cameron Smith and Elsie and Ivy Brandvold; a brother, Jim (Norma) Swanson; sisters, Barbara Liudahl and Pamela Swanson; as well as many nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Reuben; a daughter, Kimberly Jo; her parents, Eddie and Norma; two sisters, Mary Frances and Janelle; brother-in-law, Lane Jacobson.