Shirley Ann Vander Woude

Shirley Vander Woude passed away peacefully on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at her home in Rock Rapids, Iowa.

Visitation will be Monday, November 24th, from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m., with the family present from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., at Holy Name Catholic Church in Rock Rapids. There will be a vigil service beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Monday evening at the church.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, November 25th, at Holy Name Catholic Church in Rock Rapids, with burial to follow at Holy Name Catholic Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Catholic Daughters of America and/or to Avera @ Home Hospice.

Jurrens Funeral Home of Rock Rapids is in charge of services.

Shirley Ann Vander Woude was born November 15, 1938, in Canby, Minnesota, the daughter of Harold and Helen (Halstenson) Herhusky. She was raised in Ivanhoe, MN, and graduated from Ivanhoe High School in 1956. She continued her education at South Dakota State University for one year. She then moved to Sioux Falls, SD, where she worked for Western Surety and Ralston Purina.

Shirley was united in marriage to James Vander Woude on June 22, 1961, at St. Joseph Cathedral in Sioux Falls, SD. In 1966 they moved to Rock Rapids, IA, where they lived most of their married life, except for 1991 to 1995, when they lived in Sioux City, IA. Shirley worked as a legal secretary, retiring from Riter, Austin, Haberkorn & Kippley Law Firm.

She was a member of Holy Name Catholic Church in Rock Rapids, was active with the Catholic Daughters of America, and the Holy Name St. Catherine’s Society. She enjoyed playing cards and board games, working on puzzles, knitting, crocheting, cross stitching, collecting angels and baking. Special memories were Shirley and Jim’s trip to Germany, to visit her brother, Jim, and their many family vacations to Green Lake in Spicer, MN. Her legacy was to love others and to pray daily.

Left to cherish her memory is her husband of 64 years, James Vander Woude; three children, Mike (Cindy Starrett) Vander Woude, Kathy (Eric) Arndorfer and Patty (Todd) Altman; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; brother, James (Candy) Herhusky; sister, Linda Gackstetter; and several nieces, nephews, and other extended family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Helen Herhusky; sister, Vivian Corbin, and brothers-in-law, Dale Corbin and David Gackstetter.