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Shirlie Rinehart-Turner; Mrs. Dean’s Drive In dies


Funeral services for Shirlie Rinehart-Turner, 86, of Mobridge, will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014, at United Congregational Church.
Following the service, there will be a gathering at the church for sharing memories. Shirlie’s final resting place will be at Black Hills National Cemetery, Sturgis, under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge.
Shirlie passed away on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014, at St. A’s Hospital in Bismarck, N.D.
Shirlie  was born on Jan. 7, 1928, in Fargo, N.D., to Art and Lura Lundwall. In the spring of 1929, they moved to Mobridge, where her father managed the Gambles store on Main Street. As she grew up, she enjoyed spending time at the store with her dad along with her brothers and sisters. She attended school in Mobridge, graduating in 1946. During her school years, Shirlie was active in many school activities including band, where she played the drums. While a senior she became Mobridge’s first Snow Queen, a tradition that still carries on today.
After graduation, she worked at Ellison Jewelry. One evening while at Miller News and Florist, she was looking for company to go to a movie. From behind the counter, Dean Rinehart piped up and said he would go. “Dutch of course,” Shirlie responded and off they went. That was the beginning of a long relationship. On Christmas Eve, 1947, Dean proposed and Shirlie accepted. They were married on July 18, 1948, at the old United Congregational Church in Mobridge. After the honeymoon, they moved into a 20×20 small garage that they had renovated. Shirlie decided to change jobs and starting working at First National Bank, then located where The Art Bank is today.
In the late summer, Labor Day 1952, Shirlie gave birth to her first son, Jeff. Jay followed two years later in October of 1954. While pregnant with her third child, she and Dean were entertaining at home one evening. Shirlie decided to have a second piece of apple pie. Later she became uncomfortable and blamed it on the pie. By early morning, she decided she had better walk over to the hospital, so without hesitation, she walked the seven blocks to the Mobridge hospital, not disturbing Dean at work, and called later to say that their third son, Bruce, was born on May 19, 1957. Bruce still has a craving for Shirlie’s apple pie.
That same year, Shirlie and Dean bought a small drive-in called Dari Whip Drive In from Shirlie’s parents. They operating it until 1961, when they built a new building on West Highway 12, overlooking the Missouri River and changed the name to Dean’s Drive In. Shirlie was very involved at Dean’s. Along with the bookkeeping, schedules and even the laundry, she was determined to always keep customers interested by changing the menu and keeping up with current eating trends.
Her daughter Barb was born in 1961 and son Todd in 1963. As their children grew up they knew they would be working at Dean’s someday. She instilled a strong work ethic in her children. In 1990, their son Bruce bought Dean’s from them and operated it for several years. Once out of the restaurant business, they got involved in remodeling houses in Mobridge. Shirlie continued that work for many years, never one to leave something for others to do when she could still do it herself.
While raising their children, Shirlie took an active role in all of their activities. She helped with Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and encouraged sports, art and music. Shirlie would always step up and volunteer her time for her children and their interests.
Shirlie was a solid member of United Congregational Church. She served as a board member, was involved in committees and a devoted member of their choir for many years. Whenever there was a church bake sale, she would always bake up one of her famous desserts. Cooking was one of Shirlie’s favorite things to do. In 1978, she compiled a cookbook, “Cooks Tour,” which contained many family favorites that her children still make to this day. A small supplement, “Something Special,” followed soon after with her great desserts.
Entertaining was another love of Shirlie’s. She and Dean were charter members of Dine and Deal Bridge Club and the Double or Nothing Couples Club. She was a member of the Mobridge Country Club, the American Legion, the Odd Fellows and many other organizations around Mobridge.
In July of 2006, Dean, Shirlie’s husband of 58 years passed away followed shortly by the sudden death of her son, Jay, in February of 2007. With an empty spot in her life, she continued living in her home in Mobridge, staying busy as she always did. She started spending time with a longtime friend, George Turner, who had lost his wife, Eleanor. In the spring of 2009, they became engaged and married in the fall. They lived in George’s home overlooking the Missouri River. Shirlie really enjoyed her last years. She and George took many trips together, loved golfing, gardening, playing cards, watching baseball, working around the house and yard together, and watching sunsets over the river.
Survivors include her husband, George Turner of Glenham; her children, Jeff (Fran) Rinehart of Black Hawk, Bruce Rinehart of Mobridge, Barbara Lahren of Reno, Nev., and Todd (Catherine) Rinehart of San Diego, Calif.; her grandchildren, Chad (Melanie) Lahren of Reno, Thomas (Cheryl) Rinehart of Mesa, Ariz., Lura Wilson of Sheridan, Wyo., and Spencer Rinehart of Mobridge. Also surviving are her older sister, Joyce Wright of Minnetonka, Minn., her sister-in-law, Helen Lundwall of Centennial, as well as great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorials to the family will be directed to the American Legion Veterans Bus Service and the Mobridge Swimming Pool Building Fund.
Shirlie’s last wish to all of you: Remember me with smiles and laughter, for if you can only remember me with tears, don’t remember me at all.

 

 

Shirlie Rinehart-Turner

Shirlie Rinehart-Turner

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