Shirley Brummer

Shirley Brummer, beloved wife of Thomas Brummer, passed away peacefully at her home on November 21, 2019.  She was surrounded and comforted by her loving husband and all of her children during her last hours, just as she wished.

Shirley was born March 23, 1939 to George and Susan (Theis) Haberle.  She was the tenth of twelve children who were raised on a farm near Pierz, Minnesota.  She married Thomas Brummer on September 1, 1958 and they settled in Brainerd, Minnesota, where they raised their five children.  She was a devout Catholic, and worked for 19 years as the director of religious education at St. Andrew’s Church.  She also sang in the church choir, and loved to attend Latin Mass.

She was a very talented artist, who especially enjoyed painting with acrylics and oils.  She passed her talents on to her grandchildren, many whom she spent time with enjoying her hobby.  She also loved to putter in her vegetable garden and her many flower gardens, often incorporating her plants into her artwork.  Anyone who has visited the Brummer house would see many of her beautiful paintings on display.

Shirley enjoyed family get-togethers more than anything.  She will be sadly missed by her husband Thomas; her sons, Glenn (Vicki) Brummer, Jeffrey (Shawn) Brummer, Bradley (Theresa “DeeDee”) Brummer; and her daughters, Nadine (Keith) Schaefbauer and Celeste Reilly.  She also leaves behind 13 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

Shirley is preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Fern Dolly, Betty Bryant-Gross, and Cindy

Dunsmoor; brother, Gervie Haberle; son-in-law, Timothy Reilly and great-grandson, Craig Martin.

 A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 26, 2019 at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Brainerd.  Burial will be at the St. Mathias Catholic Church Cemetery.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday.  In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to St. Andrew’s Catholic Church or Birth Right of Brainerd. Arrangements are with the Koop Funeral Home in Crosby.