Orphie Shellum

Orphie Isabelle (Anderson) Shellum, age 95, passed into the arms of her Savior and Lord on July 28, 2025, surrounded by family.

Orphie was born on a farm in Clearwater County, MN on November 19, 1929, the eighth child of Emma (Baumann) and George P Anderson. Upon her birth, her big sister, Delpha, was impressed with her new sister, telling her parents that Orphie was ‘better than a doll with a cracked head!’

She grew up on the family farm where life was simple and sometimes difficult but always filled with family and love.

She married Carl Shellum, and they spent 59 years together until his death in 2013. Together, they raised three children, Twyla, Steven, and Kurtis.

Orphie loved being at home, cooking and baking, and was a warm and welcoming hostess to friends and family. She was a writer and started writing poetry in high school, grateful in her later years for the encouragement she received from her English teacher. She published a children’s book through Amazon (Teddy Mouse and His Treasure); her poems were in a number of local and national magazines and in a self-published book of poems. Her yearly family Christmas poems were enjoyed by many. Orphie also liked to ‘dabble’ in painting farm and country life and scenery.

Orphie is preceded in death by her parents, husband Carl, grandsons Richard Flaws and Dominic Shellum, brothers Wallace and Lionel and sisters Goldie, Pearl, Ruby, Florence, and Ruth.

She is survived by her sister Delpha, sisters-in-law Harriett, Emma and Helen, children Twyla (Curt Nelson), Steven (Pam), and Kurtis, grandchildren Danielle, Melonie, Breanna, Ann, Lea, Scott and Andrew, great grandchildren Elisa, Finn, Emma, CJ, Fern, Elodie, Quincee, Paityn, Iris and a multitude of extended family and friends.

Funeral Services will be held at Halvorson Taylor Funeral Home (512 South 8th St, Brainerd). Visitation will be held on Monday August 4, 2025, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm and also one hour prior to the funeral service on Tuesday August 5th at 11:00am. Lunch will be served following the service. A private burial will be at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery in Center Township, at a later date.

Memorials are preferred to First Lutheran Church (424 South 8th St, Brainerd). Services will be able to be viewed on the Halvorson Taylor website for those unable to attend.

Arrangements are entrusted to Halvorson Taylor Funeral Home, Brainerd.