Shirley J. Reinert

A Mass of Christian Burial for Shirley J. Reinert, 77 of Timber Lake was held on Monday, January 22, 2024 at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Timber Lake, SD. Visitation was held Sunday, January 21, at the church with a parish prayer service. Interment under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home were held at the Timber Lake Cemetery. Shirley died on Sunday morning at her home near Timber Lake.

On May 12, 1945, in Sturgis, SD, Shirley Jean Shaff was born to Howard Shaff and Gertrude Shaff (Sundstrom). She was the eldest of six children, Loretta Shaff (Newell), Sheila Shaff (McGinnis), Doyle Shaff and Doron Shaff.

  In the summer of 1960, Shirley met Leroy at a local dance where he was visiting with Shirley’s Uncle Walt. Shirley and Leroy spent the night visiting and dancing. When it was time for Shirley to go home, Leroy drove her. From then on, they spent a lot of time together which led to dating over the next year.

Shirley attended school in Faith, SD, until her Junior year in December, 1961, when she was united in matrimony to Leroy Reinert on December 21, 1961, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Isabel, SD.

Shirley and Leroy resided in Faith where she babysat children and Leroy worked on the Transmission Line. Their first son, Leroy (Lee) Junior, was born on May 12, 1962. In 1963 the family moved to Howes, SD where Leroy was employed with the Western Cattle Company. Shirley spent her time helping check horses, cattle and assisted with calving, along with taking care of the family. They welcomed their second son, Ben, on May 26, 1964.

In 1965 the family returned to Faith, SD after President Kennedy was killed and the Western Cattle Company was sold. Shirley went back to working at the local café like she did in her school years, cooking and waitressing. Leroy worked for the SDDOT. Their third child, Patsy, was born on June 7, 1968. Shirley studied hard and obtained her GED through the Faith School in 1971.

  In 1972 Leroy and Shirley made their final move with the family to Timber Lake, SD where they had purchased Leroy’s parents farm. Shirley worked for several years at the Holy Cross Catholic Church in Timber Lake. She was the secretary and book keeper for nineteen and a half years. There she worked with her Godmother, Sister Anne McCormick, for two of those years. While Leroy worked for Dewey County DOT for several years before taking employment with the SDDOT in Isabel, SD where he would retire from in 2010.

Shirley helped Leroy run the farm, while working a full-time job with the Catholic Church and raising their children. They had numerous animals ranging from cattle, pigs, chickens, turkeys and horses. Shirley and Leroy, with the assistance of their children, ran a milking operation with approximately seventy to eighty milk cows for seven years.

In 1993 Shirley and Leroy took on there of their grandchildren, Tara Carney, Kimberly Carney, and Trista Bulit (Carney), raising them as their own.

Shirley “enjoyed everything.” In her younger years she liked canning, sewing, leather work, beading, reading, taking care of animals, cooking, watching her kids then her grandchildren, and then her great-grandchildren learn and grow. One thing Shirley “could never do,” was draw.

“I really can’t regret anything in my life. I had fun doing everything. I enjoyed doing everything.”

  Shirley is proceeded in death by her loving husband, Leroy Reinert; her parents; and her sister Sheila McGinnis.