Shirley Mae (Peterson) Lagerquist, the daughter of Max and Mary (Awalt) Peterson was born on August 26, 1929 in Dunseith, North Dakota.  She died at the age of 86 years on Thursday, September 10, 2015 at her home in Rugby.

Shirley was raised in the home of her parents near Dunseith, the middle of ten children and received her education in the Dunseith School.  On December 3, 1947 she was united in marriage to Ralph Lagerquist in Dunseith.  The couple made their homes in several communities following their marriage, including Rolla for 15 years before settling in Rugby in 1966. A loving wife, mother, grandmother and homemaker, Shirley also worked outside the home over the years in several different capacities, favoring two passions, that of sales clerk at JC Penney and assistant cook at Ely Elementary.  She served many people throughout those jobs and many remember her years after.  Shirley was always a very quiet and likeable lady, loved by many.  Her greatest passion was for her family and friends.  A gracious hostess, there was never a time she didn’t welcome people into her home for a cup of coffee and a sweet treat.  Her homemade buns were enjoyed by many far and wide.  She loved to play cards and dominoes with friends and family and crocheted many blankets in her time and other small intricate pieces.  Shirley was a faithful member of First Lutheran Church in Rugby and especially enjoyed being a part of its quilting family.  She enjoyed many family vacations at Lake Metigoshe and Flathead Lake in Montana.  Ralph died December 10, 1998.  Shirley continued to live in the home they had built together in Rugby until her death on Thursday.

Shirley is survived by her sons, David (Karen) of Cheney, Washington and their children , Blake (Clara) and Ben; Steve (Kim) of Athol, Idaho and their boys, Tyler (Carissa), Travis (Jennifer) and Jackson (Amanda); daughter, Patti (Kevan) Syverson of Sawyer and their girls, Kaleah and Kalissa; great-grandchildren, Acelynn and Finley (Travis), Coy and Kyah (Tyler), and Emmett (Jackson); sisters, Doris Bristol of Bottineau and Mary Artzer of Pacific, WA; nieces, nephews; other relatives and friends.  She was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years; daughter, Polly Lagerquist; three brothers, Bill, Duane and Jack Peterson; sisters, Marion Fuechter, Lucille Hovland, Lois Peterson, Vida Hiatt and her parents.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 16^th at First Lutheran Church in Rugby with burial in the Persilla Watts Cemetery, Rugby.  Pastors Mike Pretzer and Sharon Baker, officiating.

Visitation will be from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at the Anderson Funeral Home in Rugby and will continue for one hour prior to the time of services at the church on Wednesday.