Shirley Hamer

Shirley Anne (Keller) Hamer, age 86, passed away Saturday Jan. 31, 2026, at home.

Funeral services for Shirley will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday Feb. 13, 2026, at the United Methodist Church in White, SD. Visitation will be held prior to the services at 1:00 pm at the Church.

Shirley was born October 28, 1939 at Elkton, SD, to Ralph and Harriet Elsie (Moulton) Keller. Shirley grew up on the family farm by Elkton, SD. She attended school in Elkton and graduated from Elkton High School in 1957. On January 25, 1959 she was united in marriage to Earl R Hamer at the Methodist Church in Lake Benton, MN. To this union was blessed with three children, two sons and a daughter.

Shirley held several waitress jobs in her early years including Wards Café, Cooks Cafe, Staleys Café all in Brookings, SD. In 1967 the family moved to Custer, SD and Shirley then worked at the Frontier Bar & Grill in Custer, SD. In 1968 the family moved back to Brookings where Shirley and Earl purchased the Prairie Café, and operated it until they sold it in 1972.

Shirley work on the farm for several years before going back to work for Staley Café until it was sold in 1988. Shirley then purchased and ran The Rustic Ridge in Bruce, SD in 1989 until selling it in 1999. At which time she went to work for the True Value warehouse until it closed. Shirley then went to work for Larson Manufacturing in 2000 and retired in 2015 at the age of 75.

Shirley had a lifelong love of horses and had owned several horses before purchasing her first Quarter horse in 1971. She began raising Quarter Horses in 1977 and added Paints horse in 1991. She continued to raise horses until her passing. She was a member of the American Quarter Hores Association and the American Paint Horse Association.

Shirley also enjoyed drawing, gardening, and lawn care. She especially enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Shirley is survived by her husband Earl, Son Daniel (Debra) Hamer, daughter Anita (Randy) Waldner, sister Janice Hamer, 15 grandchildren and 37 great grandchildren.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents Ralph and Elsie Keller, parent-in-laws Wilhelm and Marie Hamer, Son Ken Hamer, sister Joan Hamer, brothers James and Gene Keller, sister-in-law’s Diane Keller, Gladys Anderson, Darlene and Joan Hamer, brother-in-law’s August, Carl, Herbert, Bill, Ernest Hamer and Walt Anderson and granddaughter Tevani.