Shelly (Bergland) Woinarowicz

Shelly Woinarowicz, 54, of Alvarado, MN, passed on Monday, March 5, 2018, in Altru Hospital, Grand Forks, ND, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Rochelle Marie Bergland was born on January 27, 1964, to Wallace and Cheryle (Hussey) Bergland in Grand Forks, ND. She was raised in East Grand Forks, MN, and grew up working for her Grandma Hussey in the kitchen at the YMCA, developing a lifelong love of baking and cooking. She enjoyed swimming and diving and excelled in track throughout her time in school, holding a high school record (as an 8th grader) in shot put for many years. She graduated from East Grand Forks Senior High School in 1982 and went back to school as an adult and received her two-year degree from Northland Community College.

Shelly had a great work ethic and held up to three jobs at a time, working for UND Laundry Services, Red Ray Lanes, the Regency Inn, and the Eagles Aerie, among other jobs, oftentimes as a cocktail waitress. In 1991, she met John Woinarowicz at the Eagle's which led to a surprising career change. She began working as a bookkeeper for John's Service and Repair in Alvarado as well as dating John. The two were married on June 12, 2008, and Shelly took the opportunity to change both her last and first names, dropping “Rochelle” in favor of her lifelong nickname. Her new role as a step-mom also provided her a chance to do more of what she loved: cooking, baking, and canning for John and her new family. In the past few years Shelly had also begun to search for a member of her own family; a son she gave up for adoption in 1984, with whom she hadn't yet connected.

Shelly is survived by her loving husband, John; stepchildren, Tammy (Troy) Vanyo and Jeremy (Jaime) Woinarowicz; grandchildren, Ian, Mason, Jackson, Kaden, and Olivia; mother, Cheryle Bergland; sister Dee Ann (Chad) Ziegelmann; niece and nephews, Doug, Austin, and Bre Ann; several aunts, uncles, and cousins, and friends; and her pets, Miss Moss and Honey.

She was preceded in death by her father, Wally, and both sets of grandparents.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Alvarado Fire Dept. or New Hope Lutheran Church.

FUNERAL SERVICE: Friday, March 9, 2018, at 11:00 AM, in New Hope Lutheran Church.
VISITATION: One hour prior to services at the church.
 

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