Shirley Raney

Shirley Delaine (Bloom) Raney, 79, passed away peacefully at her home in Carlos, MN, on November 13th, 2020 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.

Shirley was born on June 10th, 1941 to Leroy and Norma Bloom in Stanley, ND. She was the middle of three children, with an older brother, Vaughn, and a younger brother, Virgil. Shirley graduated high school from Dakota Lutheran Academy in 1959. While attending North Dakota State University where she majored in Sociology and minored in Psychology, she met David Raney. They married on June 19, 1965, and together they settled on the Raney family farm in rural Drayton, ND. Shirley worked as a social worker before leaving to raise her two children, Carrie and Nathaniel. She was a hands-on mom, making sure her children learned to play the piano and keeping them busy in 4-H. Once her children were grown, Shirley became an active entrepreneur. She and David started a recycling company, “Raney Resources and Recycling”, restored a parade train and traveled to parades throughout North Dakota in the "Raney River Express", and hosted “Vacation for a Day” on their farm. She also stayed busy contributing to her local community, working for the Pembina County State’s Attorney, the Drayton Lutheran Church, and the Drayton Senior Citizen Center. After retiring from farming, Shirley and David lived in Grafton, ND for several years, then settled in the Alexandria, MN area in 2013.

Shirley was known as a sweet and kind woman with a tender heart. She had a distinctive voice and an infectious laugh, and she took pride in creating opportunities for laughter to be shared. Whether it was hosting guests from far and near on the farm, throwing delicious dinner parties with her extensive china collection, cajoling strangers into sing-alongs, or winning every hand of Rook at game night (she was quite the card shark), Shirley delighted in having fun. She was a voracious reader and lover of history, particularly American history. Her bookshelves were lined with the biographies of every President and First Lady and she traveled to many historical landmarks in her free time. She wore turtlenecks in July because her neck was always cold, drove 90 mph on gravel roads, and told anyone who would listen that all her “good-looking” grandchildren looked “exactly like” her. She was, in her own words, a “hoot!” Her greatest joys were spending time with her family and sharing her faith, reminding all to “stay close to Jesus.” She was loved by many and will be forever missed.

Shirley is survived by her husband David Raney, her two children Carrie (Max) Tahtamouni and Nathaniel (Heather) Raney; her eight grandchildren: Änna, Marina, Aisha, Sayf, Sami,  Meghan (Alex) Sondreal, Logan Raney and Aidan Raney; her two great-grandchildren: Emma and Charles; her nieces: Jacquelyn Deaver, Janet Lee and Jane Brown and their families; along with many cousins and friends, and her beloved Raney in-laws including sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews.

Shirley was preceded in death by her father, mother, brothers: Vaughn and Virgil, and sister-in-law: Betty.

The family would like to express their gratitude to Pastor Jon Dryburgh, the Skjeberg Lutheran family, and Anderson Funeral Home. Shirley was a longtime member of the Skjeberg Lutheran Church community where she had many dear friends.

Funeral services will be held on Sunday, November 29, at 11:30 a.m. at Skjeberg Lutheran, rural Drayton. The service will be livestreamed on the Skjeberg Facebook page. Visitation will be held at the church for one hour prior to the service at 10:30 a.m. Inurnment will be in the Skjeberg Lutheran Cemetery next spring. Due to COVID-19, masks are required and there will be no refreshments.