Shirley Chin

Shirley Chin, age 89, of Cleveland, Tennessee formerly of Philip, South Dakota, died on Wednesday, June 17, 2020 in Cleveland, Tennessee.
Shirley N. Cain was born in Colome, South Dakota to Clarence and Leona (Geiler) Cain. She moved to Ainsworth, Nebraska while very young, and she lived there with her family which also included two brothers and two sisters. Shirley considered working alongside her brothers outside some of the best times of her childhood. The rural life was always Shirley’s favorite place to go and clear her thinking.
The depression and WWII did not bother her very much because she did not know what she was doing without and saving things and rationing for the war effort gave her great satisfaction. She felt it was all for her two brothers, one who was serving in the European Theater and one serving in the South Pacific. Being outdoors, playing in the Niobrara River, dancing, music (almost any kind), sports (especially football 'The Cornhuskers' and baseball), and reading all occupied her teen years. Shirley attended school in Brown County, Nebraska until her sophomore year. At that point the family relocated to Omaha, Nebraska where she graduated from South High School in 1949.
After two marriages and three of the best kids in the world, she found herself a single parent and went back to school at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha. After graduating college, she moved with her children to San Diego, California. Thirteen months and five days later she moved her family back to the Midwest because Shirley felt that California was not the best environment for her children. She never could get used to the lack of swimming suits at the beaches! In 1972 she went to work for Continental Care Centers (affectionately called 3C's) and years later completed her schooling in Minneapolis where the company had transferred her to the corporate office. Never attaining the big office with the window (a status symbol in that world), during a staff meeting the region of SD, ND, and MT was opened and she took the chance to get back into the country where the people are sane. By this time all her children had finished school and left the nest.
Shirley’s children and grandchildren were her pride and joy and were always her reason for living. After her family and friends, the next important thing to her heart was working. She always said “if you want something….just go to work and get it”. Shirley loved Philip, South Dakota because she felt it was a tight-knit, loving community filled with people that help each other out and are not afraid to knuckle down, aim for goals, and get things done! Shirley travelled the globe but loved Philip the most and always had a heartfelt connection to the town. Shirley always took a lot of pride in the fact that she was a native South Dakotan.
Shirley has spent the last few years with her son in Cleveland, Tennessee, where she has since resided.
Survivors include one daughter Cheryl (Dave) Dick of Huron; one son Robert “Kevin” (Debbie) Chin of Cleveland, Tennessee; seven grandchildren: Ted (Heather) Schuller, Tom (Troy) Schuller, Dacia (David) Cavalari, Brittney (Raylee) Hahn, Kevin James (Felicia) Chin, Aaron Lee, and Rebecca Chin; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Shirley was preceded in death by one daughter Linda Schuller; her parents; two brothers Derryl and Douglas Cain; and three sisters Bethel and Beula Cain and Ona Lea Capps.
A celebration of life service will be held at a later date.
Cards and memorials may be sent to Cheryl at 631 Idaho Ave. SE, Huron, SD 57350.
Local arrangements are with Rush Funeral Home of Philip.