Shirley A Jeanotte
(December 31, 1924 – March 9, 2018) 

Shirley Jeannotte of Medina, North Dakota passed away March 9, 2018 after a life well lived.

Shirley was the loved and cherished only child of Gottlieb and Betty Fischer and was born on the family farm between Gackle and Streeter, ND (then known as the Germania Township) on December 31, 1924. She attended the country school before moving onto the Streeter School in the 6th grade, where she went on to flourish as a student, in addition to enjoying many activities—to include music and baton twirling. Streeter was indeed a community that she loved and held dear all her life.

In Medina, ND on July 27, 1956 Shirley married Vernon Jeannotte (of Minot) and together they owned Jeannotte’s Medina Drug and the Medina Beauty Salon.   Shirley was heavily involved in the community—whether that included her role on the Medina school board, being active in the church, or her support for local athletics. Many also remember Shirley as the first woman elected to the Stutsman County Commission.

Education was always Shirley’s passion. First attending nursing school in Bismarck, Shirley’s nursing career eventually led to her role as the Stutsman County Health Nurse. Her passion for public health also steered her attend many academic programs around the country in an effort to bring better healthcare to North Dakota, in addition to establishing an Alcoholics Anonymous program after a stint at Colorado College.

While working and raising her family, Shirley continued her education at Jamestown College and eventually became the administrator of the Gackle Hospital before deciding after the age of forty to once again return to school. Shirley earned her Master’s degree in Hospital Administration at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and just a few years later, graduated with another Master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend. In the chapter of her life that followed, Shirley had her own business in recruiting doctors to North Dakota, which she did successfully for many years. She also served as an Investigator for the North Dakota Board of Medical Examiners.

Many were touched by Shirley’s generous spirit and she was blessed to have a life full of wonderful friends and many precious years shared alongside her family. While she loved her winter home in Fort Myers, Florida, the place she loved most was Medina, North Dakota.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, Gottlieb and Betty Fischer and is survived by her loving husband, Vernon Jeannotte; daughter, Marie Jeannotte-Cur and husband, Nejat Cur of Plymouth, MN; son, Paul Jeannotte of Minneapolis, MN; and two grandchildren, Serin and Eren Cur (Plymouth, MN).

Celebration of Life: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at English Lutheran Church, Medina, ND.

Visitation: 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 13, 2018 at Williams Funeral Home, Jamestown.

Interment: Calvary Cemetery, Jamestown, ND.

Memorials may be directed to the 1883 Courthouse Restoration Fund, 723 1st Ave. So. #236, Jamestown, ND 58401.