Cover photo for Shirley Sanford's Obituary
Shirley Sanford Profile Photo
1954 Shirley 2021

Shirley Sanford

May 25, 1954 — July 26, 2021

Shirley J. Sanford, age 67, of Austin, Minnesota, passed away on Monday, July 26, 2021, at Mayo Clinic Hospital Saint Marys Campus, after a brief battle with cancer. Shirley Jean Lewis was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Richard, Sr. and Jean (Johnson) Lewis. She grew up in Mound, Minnesota and graduated with the class of 1972 from Mound High School. Shirley then went on to attend Winona State University, where she graduated with a degree in elementary education with and emphasis special education. On July 31, 1976, she married Stephen Sanford in Mound, Minnesota and together were blessed with three children. Shirley worked as a substitute teacher for Blooming Prairie Public Schools and Austin Public Schools. She then worked for the Austin Hospital in the gift shop. In 1995, she began a 24-year career at Sterling Main Street working various jobs, most recently as a bookkeeper. Shirley enjoyed gardening, bird watching, caring for her dog and two cats, watching Hallmark movies, playing Candy Crush, and especially loved spending time with her grandkids. She will be dearly missed.

Survivors include her children, Tim Sanford of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Becky (Matt) Bungum of Wells, Minnesota, Jeff Sanford of Austin, Minnesota; four grandchildren, Ava, Olivia, Gretchen, and Colin Bungum; siblings, John (Valerie) Lewis of Minnetonka, Minnesota, Susan (Michelle) Lewis of Strathroy, Ontario in Canada, Barb (Ric) Koehn of Paynesville, Minnesota; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Richard, Sr. and Jean Lewis; and her husband, Stephen Sanford in 2016.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, July 30, 2021, at Crane Community Chapel in Austin. Visitation will take place from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 29, at Worlein Funeral Home in Austin and will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. Interment will be in Grandview Cemetery, Austin. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Mower County Humane Society. Worlein Funeral Home of Austin is assisting the family with arrangements.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Shirley Sanford, please visit our flower store.

Service Schedule

Past Services

Visitation

Thursday, July 29, 2021

4:00 - 7:00 pm (Central time)

Worlein Funeral Home - Austin

1801 4th St NW, Austin, MN 55912

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Visitation

Friday, July 30, 2021

10:00 - 11:00 am (Central time)

Crane Community Chapel

1111 9th St NE, Austin, MN 55912

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Memorial Service

Friday, July 30, 2021

Starts at 11:00 am (Central time)

Crane Community Chapel

1111 9th St NE, Austin, MN 55912

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Interment

19142-19252, US-218

, Austin, MN 55912

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Guestbook

Visits: 72

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Send Flowers

Send Flowers

Plant A Tree

Plant A Tree