Irma-Jean Rose (Jensen) Hamling, 84, passed away peacefully with Dad at her side on December 21, 2022, in Rapid City, SD.

Irma was born on June 12, 1938, to Ione (Brandon) Shively and John Jensen in Rosebud, SD.

Irma-Jean (Mom) spent many happy childhood years living on Spirit Mountain with her grandparents, Harry and Julia Brandon. She attended grade school at St. Michael’s in Grand Ronde, Oregon and Grandma Julia always made sure she got to church on Sunday. Mom had many happy memories with her cousins on Spirit Mountain, one being her and her cousins pushing Grandma up the road giggling and Grandma praying the rosary at the foot of her bed at night. Mom went to high school in Mission, SD and soon after, at the age of 19, married Ted Hamling at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Mission, SD on November 1, 1957.

Mom and Dad lived in Mission long enough to see their 5 children born and in March 1966 moved to Washington State. When Mom married and started her family she had one purpose in mind, her children were going to have the best opportunity possible to be raised in a loving, caring family with supportive parents. As housewife and mother, Mom was always busy. She had an eye for décor, depending on the season the home was always decorated for the occasion. Mom enjoyed reading and doing crossword puzzles in the TV guides. She also explored her creativity in art, painting fruit and flower scenes. Mom was a natural outside creating flower gardens. One particular garden she arranged was a small dirt mound tiered with flowers from the base to the top and at the top was a statue of the Blessed Mother. Mom had a special place in her heart for our Blessed Mother Mary.

In the spring of 1977, Mom and Dad decided to leave the city life for the country and moved to a small farm where many happy memories were made and the opportunity to raise healthy, independent, young adults flourished. Mom was especially at ease outside doing chores, washing clothes in the milk house, hanging clothes on the line, feeding the chickens, and gathering eggs. Living on a tight budget with a family of five, Mom knew the importance of making use of every available means to put food on the table. From the cows and hogs in the barn, vegetable garden, apples and pears from the orchard, Mom and Dad were proud to say everything on the dinner table was raised on the farm.

During that wholesome living, Mom saw her family grow and move on to start their own lives. After her nest was empty, Mom and Dad moved back to the Midwest, where they started as a young married couple. They called a small ranch in Valentine, NE home for many years and in July 2020 moved to assisted living in Rapid City. They attended the traditional Catholic Church at ICC of Rapid City, SD.

Irma was preceded in death by her Grandma Julia; Mother, Ione; Father, John; Brother, John; and Sister, Judy.

Mom is survived by Ted, husband of 65 years in Rapid City, SD; children, Cynthia (Jim), Valentine, NE, Michael, Valentine, NE, Stephen (Dianne), Valentine, NE, Shawn (Kim), Valentine, NE, ad April (Dan), Rapid City, SD; also 17 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild.