In honor of Bethany’s 80th anniversary, we’re honored to share the heartwarming story of Bethany resident Shirley Bolme. Shirley has experienced both working and living at Bethany.
Shirley grew up on a farm in Walcott, North Dakota (near Kindred, North Dakota). A self-proclaimed “country girl at heart”, she worked in the fields with her older brothers. Her tasks included cultivation, driving a grain truck, driving a tractor, and more. Shirley continued on her journey of life in Minneapolis at Lutheran Bible College while her soon-to-be husband was in the military.
After marrying her long-time sweetheart and moving to Fargo, North Dakota, Shirley began working at Bethany Retirement Living. Over her 23 years of dedicated service at Bethany, her job title changed from secretary to office manager, to admissions manager, and more. While raising two sons, Mike and Matt, she saw the growth and transformation of Bethany over the years, stating that Bethany Towers I was just a shell when she was first hired.
Shirley’s favorite memory of working at Bethany is the lifelong connections she made with the families. She explained that it was a natural adjustment from working to living at Bethany, as her husband volunteered at the coffee shop in Bethany, as well as many friends and relatives becoming residents there.
Shirley now lives in Gables at Bethany on 42nd. She is 288 steps from her husband Richard’s room in Cottonwood Court, where they spend quality time together doing puzzles and eating take out from Duane’s Pizza. She enjoys playing bingo, attending chapel, socializing with friends, and renting books from the Fargo Library. Shirley’s priorities are her husband and her other family members, including her 5 grandchildren. She is glad to live at Bethany- a loving home that she helped create through her years of service.