Shirley Joan Zieman

Olympia, Wash.

Shirley Joan Zieman passed away on March 3, 2024, after a long battle with dementia at Brookdale Olympia West. She was born on 12/02/1936 in Minot, ND to Gust and Doris Evanchenko, Ukranian immigrants. She was raised on a farm in Makoti, North Dakota with an older brother and sister.

She attended school in Makoti and graduated high school in 1954. She went on and attended Minot Business college. She married Lyle Zieman in 1956. She worked as a secretary while Lyle finished his degree at University. In 1962, Lyle and Shirley moved to Seattle. Their daughter Jill was born in 1966. The family moved to Bothell in 1970, where they lived for 30 years. Shirley took several years off from work to stay home and raise Jill. She enjoyed cooking, gardening, needlepoint and entertaining friends.

When Jill got older, she went back to work as an executive secretary for a regional office, and retired from Wells Fargo in 1999.

Lyle and Shirley moved to Lacey, WA in 2000. They were able to take a couple of trips together before Lyle fell ill and she became his caregiver. Shirley and Lyle had a story book marriage and were together for 54 years until Lyle’s death in 2010. She is also preceded in death by her parents, her brother Geneil, and her sister, Joyce, and nephews Jay and Todd. She is survived by her daughter Jill (Mark) Sawyer of Puyallup, WA, and grandson Spencer (Erik) of Tempe, AZ. She is also survived by many in-laws, nieces, nephews, and life long family friends. In Lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org.

A viewing and visitation for Shirley will be held on Monday March 11th from 1pm to 5pm at Mills and Mills Funeral Home. A celebration of life will be held Tuesday March 12th at 12PM also at Mills and Mills Funeral Home. She will be laid to rest at Tahoma National Cemetery to join Lyle.

Olympia, Washington – Shirley Joan Zieman passed away on March 3, 2024 after a long battle with dementia at Brookdale Olympia West. She was born on 12/02/1936 in Minot, ND to Gust and Doris Evanchenko, Ukranian immigrants. She was raised on a farm in Makoti, North Dakota with an older brother and sister.

She attended school in Makoti and graduated high school in 1954. She went on and attended Minot Business college. She married Lyle Zieman in 1956. She worked as a secretary while Lyle finished his degree at University. In 1962, Lyle and Shirley moved to Seattle. Their daughter Jill was born in 1966. The family moved to Bothell in 1970, where they lived for 30 years. Shirley took several years off from work to stay home and raise Jill. She enjoyed cooking, gardening, needlepoint and entertaining friends.

When Jill got older, she went back to work as an executive secretary for a regional office, and retired from Wells Fargo in 1999.

Lyle and Shirley moved to Lacey, WA in 2000. They were able to take a couple of trips together before Lyle fell ill and she became his caregiver. Shirley and Lyle had a story book marriage and were together for 54 years until Lyle’s death in 2010. She is also preceded in death by her parents, her brother Geneil, and her sister, Joyce, and nephews Jay and Todd. She is survived by her daughter Jill (Mark) Sawyer of Puyallup, WA, and grandson Spencer (Erik) of Tempe, AZ. She is also survived by many in-laws, nieces, nephews, and life long family friends. In Lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org.

A viewing and visitation for Shirley will be held on Monday March 11th from 1pm to 5pm at Mills and Mills Funeral Home. A celebration of life will be held Tuesday March 12th at 12PM also at Mills and Mills Funeral Home. She will be laid to rest at Tahoma National Cemetery to join Lyle.

Published by The Minot Daily News, March 9, 2024.