Shirley Veal

Shirley Veal, 91, of Ridgeview, passed away on Saturday, October 31, 2020 at Avera Oahe Manor in Gettysburg.

A celebration of life and interment will take place at the Chance Cemetery at a later date.

Margaret Shirley Veal was born December 1, 1928 in Bison to Virgil and Christine (Schweitzer) Veal. She was baptized into the Catholic Church in Glencross. She lived the first five years of her life on a ranch in Lone Tree Township in Perkins County with her parents and older brother, Beryl.

In 1932, Virgil began buying land in Ada Township where the family established the VTV Ranch. The ranch demanded all hands to work it and Shirley worked alongside her brother and parents.

Shirley attended Ada Country School and Bison High School.

On February 12, 1948, Shirley married LeRoy Hafner. The young couple lived on the VTV Ranch for a few months before moving to Deadwood. To this marriage Beryl Diane was born in 1949. They moved to San Manual, AZ where LeRoy worked in the copper mine.

Shirley spent a majority of her life in Sun City, AZ where she enjoyed time with her friends and longtime dog Gina along with her late husband Bill Beasley. Occasionally, Shirley and Bill would come visit family in South Dakota. Shirley spent her latest years in Ridgeview with her son-in-law, daughter, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Following a stroke, Shirley entered the Avera Oahe Manor in Gettysburg in February 2019 where she remained until the time of her passing.

Left to mourn her passing are her daughter, Beryl Diane (Jim) Fried of Ridgeview; her grandchildren: Elana; Shawn (Kelly) Bessette and their children Kellan and Kiaria; and Lonnie Wright and his children Cetan, Haiden, Orah, and Celia; and her nieces and nephews Colleen (Jerry) Bourdon, Greg (Janet) Veal and Kandi (Dan) O’Neil.

Waiting for Shirley at heaven’s gate were her parents: Virgil and Christine; husband LeRoy; brother and sister-in-law, Beryl (and Margaret “Margie”) Veal; and great-grandson, Gavyn Wright.

Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg is in charge of arrangements.

(Diane Fried’s address is Box 301, Ridgeview, SD 57652.)