Shirley L. Liimatta

Funeral service for Shirley L. Liimatta, 81, of Woodbury, formerly of Palo, will be 11am Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Palo with Pastor Eric Thiele officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in the Rauha Cemetery in Palo. Arrangements by Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Aurora. Shirley died Wednesday, November 23, 2016 at Prelude Assisted Living in Woodbury, MN. Shirley was born December 14, 1934 in Biwabik, MN to Victor and Mayme (Vietanen) Lakela. She was a graduate of Aurora High School and later married John Liimatta on May 26, 1956 in Palo. Shirley worked as a seamstress for the Cluett Peabody Shirt Factories in Eveleth and Gilbert. Shirley was a homemaker and an active member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and its women’s groups. She loved the outdoors and could be seen on a daily basis going for walks in Palo. She especially cherished time spent with her family. Survivors include her children: Steven Liimatta of Circle Pines, Doreen (Pat) Gamble of Blackduck, Sherry (Joel) Kern of Naknek, AK, Barbara (Jeff) Hansen of Eveleth, Thomas (Connie) Liimatta of Willmar and Tina (Jeff) Berg of Prescott, WI; grandchildren: John and Erik Liimatta, Michael (Jessica) Lundstrom, Joel Kern, Derek Rolando, James and Ryan Liimatta and Emelia Berg; great grandchildren: Jonathan and Brooke Lundstrom ; siblings: Willard (Dorothy) Lakela, Delores Anderson and Margie Craft; several nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, John and sister, Ruth Johnson