Shirley Baumann of Hillman, MN has gone home, leaving behind a circle of those who loved her.
Some stories deserve to be told slowly. This is one of them.
What is given freely returns in ways we cannot measure.
Shirley Clara Baumann, age 77, of Hillman, Minnesota, passed away unexpectedly on March 23, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Shirley was a true spitfire, loving, and loved dearly by everyone who had the privilege of knowing her. She was the one you could count on when you couldn't count on anyone else. She was committed, loyal, and always ready to show up when it mattered most. She had a gift for staying in the loop, always caught up on the latest gossip and was more than happy to share it.
Her days were filled with spending time with Donny and her beloved dog, Scooter. Her nights and days were often mixed up, and she could be found awake into the early morning hours watching old westerns and her favorite soap operas. Those quiet, late night hours were her comfort. Shirley was famous for her late night butt dials and for calling you ten times a day to tell the same story she'd already told you nine other times and those calls, those little interruptions, were part of her charm.
Shirley was bold, funny, loving, and unforgettable. She could be stubborn and sometimes even downright mean, but no matter what, she always intended it with love even when she was chasing teenagers back in the day out of her house with a broom.
Shirley is survived by her significant other, Donald Buck; her grandson, Michael Guck; great-grandson, Xavier Guck; granddaughter, Paige Bratsch; her brother, Richard Held; many nieces, nephews, and friends; and her beloved Pomeranian, Scooter, who gave her purpose and filled her life with joy, laughter, and companionship.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Marie Held; her husband, Eugene Baumann; daughter, Tammy Guck; sister, Diane Sanborn; brothers Leonard (Bernice) Held, Leroy (Leona) Held, Herbert Held, and Donald (Lucy) Held; sister in law Margie Held; and several nieces and nephews who went before her.
Shirley will be deeply missed and forever loved. In honor of her wishes, there will be no formal funeral arrangements. Shirley was adamant that she did not want her pictures displayed on a poster board; she wanted to be remembered exactly as she was fun, cheerful, spicy, and full of life.
In her memory, she always said she wanted people to laugh, joke, have a drink on her, and maybe even sing a karaoke song or two in her honor. Celebrating her with joy, humor, and a little mischief is exactly how she would want to be remembered.
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