Mardelle Shager

Mardelle (Mardie) Rachel Shager passed away June 8, 2018, after a brief battle with B-cell Lymphoma brain cancer. She had been residing at the Lund Family Home Hospice in Gilbert, AZ. She was 76 years old.
Mardie was born November 16, 1941, in Thief River Falls, MN.
Her parents were John M. Shager and Ella P. (Neslund) Shager. After graduating from Middle River High School, Mardie attended Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, where she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Science. She moved to Glencoe, MN in 1963, to teach Home Economics. After 21 years in Education, she obtained her Dietary Manager’s Certification. Upon moving to Burnsville, MN in 1984, she began a new job as Dietary Manager at Martin Luther Manor Skilled Nursing Facility in Bloomington, MN. She also served as Dietary Director at Maranatha Skilled Nursing Facility in Brooklyn Park, MN.
After retiring in 2001, she moved to Arizona City, AZ, where she
became involved in numerous community and church activities. Mardie
was an organizer. She enjoyed putting together activities that would
benefit those who may not have had an easy path through life. She had a
passion for caring and sharing.
Travel and exploring new sights was another of Mardie’s passions.
This led to her volunteering at the Sunland Visitor Center in Eloy, AZ.
In 2005, Mardie became the Associate Director of Operations at the
visitor center. Her organizational skills were instrumental in obtaining a $10,000 grant from the state of Arizona Office of Tourism for the purpose of making the visitor center more visitor friendly.
Mardie was preceded in death by her parents; her favorite uncle,
Almer; and sister-in-law, Neala Kay Shager. Surviving her are longtime
friend, Cynthia Yates; twin siblings, Rebecca Gessner (Alan) and
Richard Shager; several generations of nieces and nephews; and many
friends (new, old and not-yet-met).
A memorial service, a "Celebration of Life", will be held at J. Warren
Funeral Home Chapel in Casa Grande, on June 18, 2018, at 10 a.m.
For anyone interested, memorial donations are suggested for the
Hospice of the Valley, which provided superb and compassionate
medical care and counseling in the last weeks of Mardie’s life.
There will be a private ceremony to commend the cremains of Mardie
in the Serenity Garden at the Mt. View Cemetery in Casa Grande