Curt Shelander

Curtis Raymond Shelander, Age 81 of Elk River, moved into his new home, the Kingdom of Heaven on March 14, 2019. Curt was born in Stillwater, Minn. on August 28, 1937 to Gertrude and Raymond Shelander. The oldest of three children, Curt loved being on the river and spending time in the woods with his younger brother, Terry and his dog, Mickey. During his childhood, most people knew him as, “Bud”. He began his career in sales as a young boy selling newspapers, earning just enough to buy a banana flip, a pint of ice cream or soda for his hard work. Curt graduated in 1955 from Watertown Highschool where he excelled at basketball. Sales were in Curt’s blood, he had a very successful career in auto sales. He was a phenomenal salesman and was beloved by his customers and coworkers alike.

Curt was a true history buff and enjoyed a good documentary. He was always up for talking about the Civil War or World War ll. A big sports lover, Curt was very willing to lend his coaching advice to the Wolves and Vikings from the comfort of his recliner. Curt was generous with much more than his coaching advice, he was always there for his family and friends to help them in their times of need. His garage was perfectly organized and fastidiously meticulous. If you needed a tool, Curt had it and would happily lend it to you.  

His faith in God was at the center of his life. Teaching Sunday school at Brook Park Baptist was a role Curt proudly filled and enjoyed. Curt was happiest in nature. He spent countless days at his cabin with his wife Karen and family, enjoying the comfort and quiet of the woods. You could always find Curt in his shed at the cabin, tinkering around and finding the next thing to fix. Every lawnmower blade was sharpened to perfection, every 4-wheeler and snowmobile fully oiled and every boat gassed and ready to go.

If you knew Curt, he probably had a one-of-a-kind nickname for you. It was his way of showing affection for those he loved. He had a way of phrasing things that was like no one else, which his family called, “Curtisms”.

Curt lives on in those who love and miss him dearly: his beautiful wife of 52 years, whom he adored, Karen; their children: Eric (Kris), Korene (Brian), Lynn; grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Curt is also survived by his children: Dan, Mark, Cari and their families, as well as his brother Terry (Lorraine) and sister Kathy.

Curt was welcomed into Heaven by his father, Raymond and mother, Gertrude, along with his beloved grandparents. We’re pretty sure that right now he’s sitting down with his Grandma Olson for a chat over a piece of her famous lemon pie.

One of Curt’s favorite quotes is from Eleanor Roosevelt, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift, that is why it is called the present.” He would want everyone to remember how special and how precious family and friends are, and to enjoy each day with those you love, as the gift it truly is. 

Memorial service on Thurs, Mar 21 at 1PM with visitation one hour prior at Dares Funeral Service.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Curt Shelander, please visit our floral store.