Shirley Parkis, 71 passed away peacefully April 19, 2020 at the Good Samaritan Society in Sioux Falls, SD. Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. July 25 at the Winner United Methodist Church with a celebration of life at 11 am.
Burial will take place at the Colome Cemetery with a luncheon to follow at the Colome American Legion.
Shirley Elizabeth Kaiser was born on April 16, 1949 to Henry and Ella (Klundt) Kaiser. We always had a few good laughs when she would remind us that her sister Irene wanted to name her Bunny as she was born the day before Easter. Shirley grew up in Colome and attended Colome High School.
She was the youngest of 6 children being raised primarily by her mother as her father passed away in 1954. While in high school, Shirley’s mother purchased the Colome Café and that instilled the love of cooking in Shirley.
On June 6, 1966, Shirley was united in marriage to Verlyn Parkis in Colome, SD. The day after their wedding, Verlyn returned to duty with the US Army and Shirley stayed in Colome living with her mother. The next time they would see each other was in January 1967 when their daughter, Carla was born.
Verlyn was discharged from the Army in 1968 and in January 1969, Christy would join the family. Shirley and Verlyn moved to Winner in 1971 and Larry joined the family that year too. In 1978, Carrie was born and their family was complete.
Shirley held various jobs throughout her life but her true calling came when she opened Shirley’s Diner. Due to declining health, she retired and in March 2016 she and Verlyn moved to Sioux Falls to be closer to medical care and their daughter Carrie and her family.
In November of 2016 she suffered a stroke and had resided at The Good Samaritan Society until the time of her death. Shirley loved Elvis, dancing, playing a good game of pitch, and planting flowers in her yard each spring (although Verlyn claims after they were planted, he was the one that had to water them).
After moving to the Good Samaritan Society, she looked forward to her Tuesday afternoon BINGO dates and listening to the live music with the love of her life.
Shirley is survived by her husband Verlyn-Sioux Falls, SD; children Carla (Andy) Bruce-Pierre, SD, Christy (Greg) Feyereisen, Larry Parkis-Sioux Falls, Carrie (Steve) Contreras-Sioux Falls, SD and her niece that was like her daughter, Becky (Tom) Burdick-Mitchell, SD. Grandchildren Jackson and Allison Bruce, Chase and Kayla Feyereisen, Bryant, Brenden and Gianna Parkis, Phil and Olivia Contreras and her great nieces that were like her granddaughters, Kylee (Jonathon) Shorosh and Haley Burdick. Sister in laws, Sharron Bettcher and Marcella Kaiser and numerous nieces and nephews.
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, a grandson, Ryan, her sister Irene Kindt, and her brothers Johnny Kaiser, Harold Kaiser, Don Kaiser and Bob Kaiser.
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