Shirley L. Hemke, 85 of Ashland, NE, died Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at the Ashland Care Center in Ashland. She was born April 23, 1930 in Ashland to Forrest L. and Glendora G. (Folsom) Raikes. Shirley attended grade school and high school in Ashland graduating in 1948. She was very active in high school and she was elected as the first queen of the Ashland Stir-up.

In 1949, Shirley married Jim Hemke and to this union was born Linda Lou and Sharon Jean. Shirley and Jim moved to Texas in 1959 and farmed for nine years until they returned to Ashland in 1968. Shirley became a licensed nursing home administrator in 1972 and worked at the local nursing home for 20 years. She was named the Administrator of the year three times.

Shirley served on the Nebraska Health Care Board for many years and was also elected president of the Southeast Nursing Home Association. She was a past president of the Rotary and the Ashland Chamber of Commerce. She was awarded the community service award from Bethesda Care Centers.

Following her retirement from the nursing home, Shirley and her husband started a lawn mowing business. After Jim passed away in 1995 Shirley sold the business and worked for the new owner for a year. Then she went to work for Mahoney State Park in the gift shop and then the Strategic Air and Space Museum for 14 years.

Shirley was also active in the First Christian Church in Ashland. She was a past chairman of the church board and has been an elder in the church for 24 years. Shirley was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star in Ashland for 55 years and was a past Worthy Matron of the chapter and a member of the Daughters of the Nile for 62 years.

She is survived by daughters: Sharon (Rob) Sherman of Ashland and Linda (Don) Baker of Lincoln; grandchildren: Misty (Brent Burt) Baker, Heather Baker, Chad (Jodi) Baker, Brandon (Holly) Baker, Sky (Dave) Shelton, Ryan Sherman; 8 great-grandchildren and 3 great great-grandchildren; brothers: Robert (Marcella) Raikes of Colorado and Jerry (Pat) Raikes of Lincoln; many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband James Hemke; parents Forrest and Glendora Raikes; sister Phyllis Bates.