Shirley Maye Doonan

Shirley Maye (Heilesen) Doonan passed away on Friday, July 24th, 2026, at Grand Arbor. She was 93 years old. A Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 PM on Thursday, July 30th, 2026, at Anderson Funeral Home. A Funeral Service will be held on Sunday, August 9, at 3pm at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Jacksonville, IA, with a visitation one hour prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made payable to the Alzheimer's Association and given to the family.

Shirley Maye Heilesen was born April 13, 1933, at home on the farm near Kirkman in Shelby County, IA, to Arthur Clarence Heilesen and Mary Elizabeth (Constable). Shirley was the youngest of four children. She and her brothers and sister enjoyed life on the farm and loved caring for the many animals. Two of Shirley's favorites were Fanny, her horse, and Happy, a cocker spaniel puppy she won by entering a photo in a contest. She often spoke of going to the train station to meet her puppy — the station master had already let Happy out of her crate, and she was playing in the office.

Shirley graduated from Kirkman High School in Kirkman, IA. During her high school years, she enjoyed playing basketball and being a cheerleader. She furthered her education at UNI in Cedar Falls, IA, earning a Normal Teaching Degree. Shirley taught at elementary schools in Atlantic, Elk Horn, Irwin, and Audubon, Iowa, teaching 4th grade, 3rd grade, kindergarten, 2nd grade, and Title 1 Reading. During this time, she also continued her education, earning her Bachelor's Degree from Drake University.

Shirley was united in marriage to Ralph Eugene Doonan on December 27, 1952, at Kirkman Methodist Church. Soon after, Ralph enlisted in the Army, and because it was wartime, he spent the first years of their marriage stationed in Korea. Upon his return, they made their home on the Doonan family farm near Elk Horn. In 1958, they bought their own farm north of Fiscus, where they made their home for 16 years and raised their daughter, Rebecca "Becky" Jo.

In 1974, they sold the acreage and moved into Audubon until their retirement from the Audubon County School District. They then set out on a new chapter of their lives, moving to the Alexandria/Osakis area of Minnesota. There, they spent lots of time with their grandchildren, sharing, teaching, and enjoying life. They had so much to share with their grandchildren, and in turn, the grandchildren introduced Grandpa and Grandma to the worlds of snowboarding, competitive cheerleading, and soccer. Then came great-grandchildren, and life was full of cuddles, wonder, and excitement once again.

Shirley belonged to the Teachers Society Sorority and the Computer Club in Alexandria, where she used her skills to continue her genealogy research. She was also Queen of the Red Hat Chapter, which she helped start, and was a life long member of the VFW 936 Auxiliary.

In her final years, Shirley lived with dementia. Though the present sometimes grew unclear to her, she usually knew her loved ones by heart — and even in the moments she didn't, she always knew she was loved.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Ralph; her parents, Arthur and Mary Heilesen; her sister and brothers and their spouses, Marjorie (Clark) Davey, Gaylord (Maxine) Heilesen, and Merlyn Heilesen; a niece, Linda Davey; and nephews Gene Davey (and wife Pam), Marty Davey, John Davey, and Keith Heilesen. She was also preceded in death by her mother-in-law and father-in-law, John and Carrie Doonan, and by brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Norman and Edith Scott, and Earl and Elaine Doonan.

She is survived by her daughter, Becky, and husband Craig Bower, of Kensington, MN; her grandchildren and their children, Colin (Darcy) Bower and their son, Beckett Ralph, of Rogers, MN; Carrie (Bryan) Casey and their sons, Cadence, Lauchlainn, and Mickenlee, of Cromwell, MN; and Caitlyn Bower of St. Paul, MN.

She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Betty Heilesen, and many nieces and nephews and their families: Ron and Peg Doonan, Karolyn Fiorie, Larry and Pam Scott, Nancy and Alan Steenhusen, Marsha and Russ Ahrenholtz, Julie Scott, Bob and Sophie Davey, Maggie Davey, Glenn and Sharon Davey, Denise Winchell, Mel and Susan Sheeran, Kathy Heilesen, Bev Martz, Doug and Kate Heilesen, and David and Wendy Heilesen.

The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the staff at Grand Arbor Memory Care and the hospice team who provided such compassionate care and support to Shirley and her family.

A visitation will be held in Alexandria, MN on Thursday, July 30, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Anderson Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held on Sunday, August 9, at 3pm at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Jacksonville, IA, with a visitation one hour prior to the service.