Laura Josephine (Bauman) Shelley

Laura Josephine Shelley (Bauman), age 85 of Elk River, MN, passed away peacefully on September 2, 2025 from advanced Alzheimer’s disease.

Laura was born on October 30, 1939 in Delano, MN. She grew up on the family farm as the second oldest of ten children, always helping out with the farm chores or with her many siblings. Laura attended the College of St. Teresa in Winona, Minnesota, graduating with a degree in Elementary Education and started her first teaching position in Bloomington, Minnesota.

After she started teaching, Laura met Don in her hometown of Delano, and they married at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in 1963. They soon moved to Elk River where they raised their three children, Mike, Jeanne and Anne. Both teachers, they used their free summers for family road trips around the U.S., gardened together, and Laura also assisted with many a 4-H project. After seeing her own children off to school, Laura returned to teaching and spent most of her career as a second grade teacher at St. Andrew Catholic School in Elk River. Laura loved her students, fellow staff, and everything about teaching. She always said she could go on teaching forever, but eventually joined Don in his retirement and the pair made numerous road trips in their camper, including Branson, MO and a baseball stadium tour. In retirement, Laura and Don volunteered together with Meals on Wheels, funeral lunches at St. Andrew Church, and picking up donations for the Community Aid of Elk River (CAER) Food Shelf.

In addition to teaching, Laura was an accomplished seamstress and marvelous baker, always singing songs from her favorite musicals while baking or cooking.

Laura was a loving, patient, and generous wife, mother, grandmother, and teacher, and had tireless energy. She was the keeper of family traditions and always made everyone feel welcomed and loved. She loved when her kids and grandkids were all together, and her comforting and steady presence will be dearly missed.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lenore & James Bauman, sisters Teresa Bauman, Leona Graupmann, Irene Sprengeler and Janet Hance; brother-in-law Arden Kreft.

Laura is survived by her loving husband of 62 years, Donald, children Mike (Joan) Shelley, Jeanne (Bruce) Rubbelke, and Anne (Aaron) Barnard; grandchildren Elizabeth (Troy) Louwagie and Emily Rubbelke, Kathryn (Josh) Shelley-Perez and Michaela Shelley; Sophia and Joe Barnard.

She is also survived by her sisters Marie Kreft and Jeanne (Keith) Proctor; brothers Edward (Pamela) Bauman, Earl (Cherie) Bauman, Tom (Jenny) Bauman, and many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

The family would like to thank the wonderful, kind staff at BeeHive Homes of Elk River and Brighton Hospice for their care and dedication. 

For those who wish to make donation in Laura’s name, please consider a contribution to St Andrew Catholic School, Elk River MN or to the Alzheimer’s Association. 

Mass of Christian Burial 12:30 PM Monday September 8, 2025 at the Church of St. Andrew 566 4th St. NW, Elk River. Visitation 1 hour prior to Mass at the church on Monday.

Interment at St. Andrew’s parish cemetery followed by lunch at the church.

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