Shirley Hansen Acker, widow of Duane Acker, who was dean of agriculture and biological sciences at South Dakota State from 1966 to 1974, died on Jan. 1, 2024 at Heritage House in Atlantic, IA.
Acker was known at the University for opening their campus home (then the dean’s home at the north edge of the campus) to faculty, students, townspeople, and university friends and supporters. As a full partner to her husband’s faculty and administrative roles, at SDSU as well as later at the University of Nebraska and Kansas State University, she took pride in knowing members of the university family and recognized their importance to the future of the university. With the help of only her daughters and a part-time student she baked thousands of bars and cookies for their guests.
Shirley Acker lived a life full of enthusiasm and energy, as a wife, mother of two daughters who would have successful careers, and community volunteer. In Brookings she was chairman of Friends of the Library, served on the board of United Way, organized a church-based Care Group for regular visits to shut-ins, and was assistant leader of a local 4-H club. She also helped organize and hosted a club for the wives of then mostly male university students.
After the Acker’s time in universities, they moved to D.C. where she opened a new chapter in her life. For six years during the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations she worked in the White House Volunteer office, from handling telephone calls to helping in White House offices and hosting visiting dignitaries. She studied calligraphy at the Smithsonian, used that skill in addressing the presidents’ Christmas and other greeting cards and, in time, taught calligraphy.
At the end of the Bush administration the Ackers moved to their farm in southwestern Iowa and she opened another chapter, developed skill in the ancient art of fired oils on porcelain. Moving from flowers to original, complex designs and then to birds and animals, she won many blue ribbons at regional shows and the Iowa State Fair. She was appointed by Iowa’s governor to the Iowa Arts Council and to the District Judge Nominating committee, and served six years on the board of the Wesley Retirement Foundation, with facilities in five Iowa Communities. She was a 50-year member of PEO.
During the Acker’s winter months in Florida she taught porcelain painting and published a limited edition of a selection of her paintings. In 2019 she wrote and published Ten Minutes to Rake the Carpet, a memoir of her life.
Acker is survived by her husband, Duane, of 71 years; daughters Diane Nygaard and husband Terry and their son, Eric, of Overland Park, Kansas, and LuAnn Acker and husband Bill Tout of Ft. Myers, Florida; sister Jeannie Jones of Shell Knob, MO; brother-in-law John Rasmussen of Temecula, CA; nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death were her parents, Henry O. and Lulu Hansen, brother Gary, and sister Marilyn Jones.
Per Shirley’s wishes, cremation will take place at the Schmidt Family Funeral Home, and a celebration of life service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 6, at the Heritage Hall at the Heritage House in Atlantic. Following the service, a time of refreshments and fellowship is welcomed by the family.
Memorials may be directed to the Heritage House, First Presbyterian Church of Atlantic, or the YMCA Atlantic in honor of Shirley. Memorials may be mailed to the Schmidt Family Funeral Home P.O. Box 523, Atlantic, IA 50022.  Condolences may be left at www.schmidtfamilyfh.com.
Services are handled by the staff at the Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Atlantic, IA.