Shirley Ann Gierok

Shirley Ann Gierok, age 87, passed away on Saturday, June 10 at Sauer Healthcare in Winona. Shirley was born on April 14, 1936, to Benjamin and Palma (Viken) Maroushek in Rushford. She attended Wiscoy, Washington Kosciusko Elementary, and Winona Junior School before Graduating from Winona High School in 1953. She received a Business Administration Degree and Business Management Degree from International Correspondence Schools in 1976; she was very proud to be a member of Goodview Trinity Lutheran Church.

On November 14, 1959, she was united in marriage to the love of her life, Theodore "Ted" Gierok and they enjoyed over 60 years together until Ted's passing in April of 2023. Shirley's secretarial career spanned 41 years and she retired from Northern States Power Co. in 1993 and retired at the age of 57 when the company became EXCEL Energy. She was a life-long member of the VFW and American Legion Auxiliaries as well as the Professional Secretaries Association, Women In Business, Secretarial Board of Winona Area Technical Institute, and the Veteran's Memorial Park. Shirley was also a dutiful caretaker for her mother, Palma, for many years before her death in 2014. She was a very special, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, godmother, and friend who will be dearly missed for her caring, quiet, and unassuming mannerisms.

Shirley will be laid to rest next to her husband of 64 years, Ted, in a private ceremony at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery of Winona.