Shirley Graftaas

Shirley Graftaas, age 78, of Fosston, MN and formerly of Gonvick, MN, passed away peacefully on Thursday, October 17th, at Eventide Senior Living in Moorhead, MN. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 26th, at Samhold Lutheran Church in Gonvick with the Rev. Will Anderson officiating. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service on Friday, October 25th, at the Carlin Funeral Home in Fosston. There will also be reviewal for one hour prior to the service on Saturday morning at the church. Arrangements are with Carlin Family Funeral Service of Fosston and messages of condolence may be shared at www.carlinfuneral.com.

Shirley Rae Paulson was born to Alvin and Catherine (Schmit) Paulson on July 25, 1946, at the hospital in Bagley, MN. She joined her siblings Jimmy and Kathleen on their family farm near Trail, MN. Shirley attended school through 8th grade in Gully, MN, and graduated from Fosston High School in 1964. She then worked for Northwestern Life Insurance in Minneapolis for two years.

Shirley married Albert John Graftaas on July 23, 1966, at Sand Valley Lutheran Church, Trail, MN, in the church where she was baptized and confirmed. They made their home in rural Gonvick, MN, where they had three children: Carla Jo, Brian Scot, and Eric John. They were active members of Samhold Lutheran Church in Gonvick, MN, since 1967.

She was active in many different organizations, including the Samhold Church Council, Gully 100 committee, and Diamond Jubilee committee, and loved to volunteer. She had a love for games and was very competitive! She was lucky too. She liked to read, crochet, shop, and loved being with family and friends.

She worked at the Gonvick-Trail school as an aide, and then at Richards Publishing Company until retirement. During their 54 years of marriage, Shirley and Albert traveled to all 50 states and all the Canadian provinces. They spent 16 winters in Arizona, where they were always busy with their friends and many activities.

They moved to Fosston, MN, in 2018, where they made many new friends. Albert passed away on August 3, 2020. Shirley remained active in the community in Gonvick, Gully and Clearbrook, until she was diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney cancer in June 2023. Her prognosis was not good, but Shirley was a fighter, and was determined not to let it slow her down. She moved to Eventide Senior Living Moorhead, MN, in October 2023 to be closer to Roger Maris Cancer Center and family. Again, Shirley made many new friends and was very active with games, volunteering, and crafts. Shirley lost her battle with cancer on October 17, 2024. While she was still not ready to give up, she knew that she was going to heaven and was looking forward to being reunited with Albert and Carla.

Shirley is survived by her sons Brian (Jodi), Eric (Stephanie); 5 grandchildren, Megan, Lauren, Gretchen (Nick), Hunter and Catherine; sister Kathy Spears; sisters and brothers-in-law, Janice Paulson, Phyllis Jacobson, Ray and Kay Graftaas, Ruben and JoAnn Garcia, plus numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. She was preceded in death by infant daughter Carla, husband Albert, parents Alvin and Catherine Paulson, in-laws Roy and Julia Graftaas, grandparents Dominique and Anna Schmit and Lars and Sylvia Paulson, Jimmy Paulson, Jim Spears, Stanley and Pat Graftaas, Junior Jacobson, Bernice and Herbert Magnusson, Oswald Erlandson, Harvey Berg, Darald Paulson, and numerous other relatives.

Thank you all for the kindness and friendship you have provided over this time. We are so appreciative, and Shirley couldn’t say enough about it. Blessed be her memory.

Memorials can be made to the Samhold Ladies Aide, Roger Maris Cancer Center, or the American Cancer Society.