Shirley Dahlgren, spouse of the late Covenant minister James Dahlgren, passed away on August 30, 2024, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She was 97.
She was born Shirley Mae Anderson in St. Paul, Minnesota. A graduate of the University of Minnesota, she worked as a dental hygienist, visiting schools to teach dental health. Shirley was known for creating, curating, and appreciating beauty in the world around her. She loved to travel to Europe and often carried nested empty suitcases to collect antiques and goods for her Salzburg Shops in Minneapolis and Evanston, Illinois. Her local travels took her to the North Shore for family weekends with games, laughter, and plenty of pie. She was known for sewing textile goods, designing jewelry, singing in church choirs, finessing her personal style, and writing memoirs in her later years.
She served alongside her husband, James, at several Covenant churches, including Covenant Congregational Church in North Easton, Massachusetts; Hillside Covenant Church in Naugatuck, Connecticut; and Bethlehem Covenant Church in Minneapolis.
At 90, she took a final trip abroad to see her Swedish ancestral homeland, careening down rocky Icelandic paths in a wheelchair to marvel at waterfalls.
Shirley was preceded in death by her husband, James, and daughter, Nan Kaiser. She is survived by her son, Kristofer Peterson (Terry); son-in-law, Paul Kaiser (Elaine Vargo); grandchildren, Emily and Peter Kaiser; stepchildren, Kathie (Phil) Johnson, Carol (Mark) Rholl, Lynette (Jim) Clausen; and grandchildren, Heidi, Marta, Laura, Drew, Sean, Patrick, Will, Griffin, and Barrett.
A memorial gathering was held at Becketwood in Minneapolis on September 24, 2024. Memorial gifts may be sent in her name to the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance or the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.
Peace be to her memory.
