Shirley Ann Triplett Rieck passed away at the age of 94 on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, in Grants, New Mexico. Shirley will be interred next to her beloved husband, Floyd “Bud” Rieck, at the Santa Fe National Cemetery. A memorial will be held at a later date.
Shirley was born in Minneapolis, MN, on May 12, 1932, to Lester and Leona (Haas) Triplett. She grew up on the family farm in Constance, MN, before moving to Wyoming, MN, in 1946. She attended Forest Lake High School, where she met the love of her life, Bud. She marched in the Forest Lake High Marching Band, playing the snare drum and marching between two 6’ tall fellas. She was 5’1”!
Bud & Shirley were married on February 24, 1951. Bud served in the U.S. Army at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, from 1951 to 1953. Shirley joined him at Fort Leonard Wood, where she worked for the Transportation Corps, and their daughter, Julie, was born there in October 1953. Bud was discharged from the Army in December 1953, and they moved back to Wyoming, MN, where Bud was the manager of his father-in-law’s café. Their second child, Brad, was born in August 1956 in nearby Forest Lake, MN.
Beginning in 1961, Bud's career in food service management took the family to several states. Together, they built a home wherever life led them, living in Minnesota, New Mexico (including two summers at Philmont Scout Ranch and 18 months in Las Vegas), Oklahoma, Texas, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Drawn back to the Southwest, Bud and Shirley purchased the Tastee Freeze in Grants in 1976. They later opened a second location in Thoreau and, in 1985, transformed the former Hobo Jo's Restaurant into the Grants Station Restaurant, later adding a caboose where anniversary celebrations, weddings, and other special gatherings were held. Shirley often smiled as she said that, between the three locations, 'half the city worked for us at one time or another.'
Shirley was an executive secretary in a variety of fields, including banking, business administration, higher education, health care, and grocery distribution. She earned the Certified Professional Secretary (CPS) designation, a professional certification recognizing knowledge and proficiency in administrative work. She also completed 2½ years of college while raising her family and relocating several times.
Shirley was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Cibola General Hospital and President of the Mother Whiteside Library Board for several years. She faithfully served Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in many ways, including playing the piano for worship services for 25 years, until the church closed in 2022; she attended First United Methodist Church of Grants until her health kept her home. Shirley loved reading, baking, playing bridge with her friends, and she was fiercely competitive playing card and board games with her family. She also enjoyed decorating her home with her cross-stitch creations.
Shirley was preceded in death by her beloved husband and her parents. She is survived by her children: Julie Junod and Brad Rieck; daughter-in-law: Anne; and three granddaughters: Jennifer Johnsey, Elyssa Metas, and Krista Metas. More than anything, Shirley treasured her family, her faith, and the community she called home.