Shirley M. Nooyen, 81, New Franken, passed away on Thursday, September 8, 2022. She was born to William (Bill) and Adele (Ferron) Prevost on August 22, 1941, Shirley graduated from Dyckesville Grade School and Luxemburg High School in 1960. After graduation, Shirley worked at Mognin Insurance until she was united in marriage with Bernard (Bernie) A. Nooyen on September 2, 1961 at St. Joseph’s church in Champion, Wisconsin. She and Bernie owned and operated Nooyen Pump Service Company, Nooyen Industrial Pump, and developed Nooyen Heights in New Franken, Wisconsin. Shirley held a Wisconsin Pump installers license and enjoyed helping her husband in their businesses with planning for jobs and bookkeeping. She treasured her time with her precious grandson, Cooper Nooyen-Carlson. Also, she enjoyed embroidering for her family and friends. For her embroidery, she received several awards. In particular, she received The Home and Community Educators Nation of Dolls Quilting featured in The National Quilting Magazine. She loved praying while walking and picking up trash along the ditches, canning everything from fruits and vegetables to meats and fish. As a means of entertainment, she read, played cards with her family and friends, and she loved dancing. Traveling around the world to explore new countries and culture was a passion for Shirley. To show our local culture, her family hosted foreign exchange students and friends and family from Belgium. Her pride in her Belgian heritage shined by belonging to the Walloon Club. She formed and was a member of The Marique Art Program, The Peninsula Belgian/American Club, Brown County Home and Community Educators for which she was chair for twenty-three years. During her time as chair for Brown County Home and Community Educators, she planted many trees and bushes for Arbor Day, collected books and stuffed animals for local hospitals, and wrote monthly columns for the newsletter. She was twice awarded B.C.H.C.E. of the Year. One of her greatest joys when she was a B.C.H.C.E member was having members making puppets and presenting these puppets to Mother Teresa in Calcutta, India. Volunteering at Chambers Island retreat and building with her husband Bernie on their homestead St. John the Baptist Chapel. Shirley was active in her Catholic church volunteering as well at St. Thomas the Apostle in Sugarbush, Wisconsin and The Chapel in Champions, Wisconsin.
She is survived by her husband, Bernard A. Nooyen; her two daughters, Michelle (Stephen Carlson) Nooyen, Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Lisa Nooyen Muller, Spring, Texas; and her grandson, Cooper Nooyen-Carlson; nieces, Dianne Metzler and Jane (Ron) Garrity, sisters-in-law, Jackie Nooyen and Barbara Buhr; and many other relatives and friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Adele (Ferron) Prevost; sister, Vernie (Irvin) Ettien; brother, Roland (Maxine) Prevost; two infant sisters, Agatha and Marie Prevost; nephews Jerry and Irvin Ettien, Jr.; niece Kay Anne Cardinal; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Walter and Florence (Vandenplus) Nooyen; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Norbert Nooyen, Madeline (Jerry) Taushcher, and Elaine (Jerry) Kropp.
Friends may call at the Proko-Wall Funeral Home, 1630 E. Mason St., on Friday, September 16, 2022, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Parish wake service 7:30 p.m. Visitation will continue on Saturday, September 17, 2022, at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 5930 Humboldt Rd., Luxemburg, from 9:00 a.m. until the time of Mass. Funeral Mass 11:00 a.m. Saturday at the church with Rev. Carlo Villaluz officiating. Entombment in the Shrine of the Good Shepherd Mausoleum. Online condolences may be expressed at www.prokowall.com.
We love you mom and will always hold true the love and support that you gave us throughout our lives. We will especially miss your smile, thoughtfulness, wonderful meals, adventures, and all of our family gatherings. We are grateful for Dr. Badine and the nurses at St. Vincent Hospital Oncology, Hospice, and Home Instead. With sincere gratitude, we would like to thank all that have helped with their meals, personalized cards, prayers, love, and support for these acts of kindness have been extremely meaningful to our mom.