Shirley JaNeil Eckstrom

WAUSA - Funeral service for Shirley JaNeil (Craig) Eckstrom, 91, of McLean, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 5, 2025 at Thabor Lutheran Church in Wausa, Nebraska. PMA Richard Bloomquist will be officiating the service. Interment will take place at Woodlawn Cemetery in Wausa. The visitation will be held from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 at Stonacek Funeral Chapel in Randolph. Arrangements are by Stonacek Funeral Chapel in Randolph. Shirley passed away Saturday, May 31, 2025, at Osmond General Hospital after multiple health issues. She was born on December 27, 1933, on a farm northeast of Osmond, Nebraska, the daughter of Aura and Dorothy (Salisbury) Craig. She had 2 brothers and 2 sisters: Harold Craig, Russell Craig, Faye (Craig) Babst, and Mildred (Craig) Jacobson. She was baptized January 22, 2002, at Thabor Lutheran Church in Wausa, Nebraska. She attended rural country school east of Osmond, Nebraska, and graduated in 1951 from Randolph High School. Following high school, she then graduated from Norfolk College of Business in Norfolk, Nebraska. She also loved to draw and do calligraphy in her younger years. Shirley met the love of her life, Dean Eckstrom, in early 1955 at a dance in Randolph, Nebraska shortly after Dean got out of the service. Shirley and Dean were married on August 18, 1955, at the United Methodist Church in Randolph. They were married for 59 years prior to Dean passing away November 26, 2014, at Mercy Medical Center, Sioux City Iowa following a car accident. To this union, 5 children were born: 4 sons and 1 daughter. The couple farmed with their family near McLean their entire lives. Shirley was a member of Thabor Lutheran Church in Wausa, Nebraska. She was a devoted wife and loving mother to her children. She worked beside her husband doing farmwork, taking care of livestock, and milking cows for many years; as well as taking care of the house, cooking, cleaning, and preparing many meals for her family and hired men, often taking meals out to the fields when they didn’t want to take a break to come in. She loved spending time with her family and was always interested in what they were doing. In her spare time, she loved seeing the flowers coming up every Spring along with bird watching. She also loved doing word find puzzles, looking through books and magazines on health improvement, home interior update magazines, and had many recipe books/magazines as well, always hoping to try to make something new. Shirley is survived by her 4 children, Barry Eckstrom, Sr., (Sherry) of Pierce, Brian Eckstrom of McLean, Todd (Sharon) Eckstrom of McLean, and Cynthia (Damon) Hartmann of Rapid City, SD. She is also survived by many grandchildren, step-grandchildren, and great grandchildren, and nieces, and nephews. She is also survived by two sisters: Faye Babst of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Mildred Jacobson of Oak Creek, Wisconsin. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband-Dean Eckstrom, 1 infant son-Kurt David Eckstrom, 2 brothers; Harold and Russell Craig; grandson-Barry Dean Eckstrom, Jr., and a step-great grandson. Pallbearers will be her grandchildren – Stephanie (Eckstrom) Bonertz, Bryce Eckstrom, Jacob Eckstrom, Caleb Eckstrom, Cherise (Hartmann) Evans, and Christina Hartmann. Honorary pallbearers will be her remaining grandchildren and great-grandchildren and step-grandchildren Condolences may be expressed to the family on-line at www.stonacekfuneralchapel.com.

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Shirley JaNeil Eckstrom

December 27, 1933 - May 31, 2025