December 31, 1935 – April 27, 2025

Shirley Yvonne Custer (nee Bakken) was born in Valley City, N. D. She and her family moved to the Seattle area when Shirley was a young girl. She attended grade school and high school in Renton. After graduating from Renton High Shirley attended the U. W. Her passions were art, design, music, tennis and skiing. She played the French Horn and Piano. Shirley married Dave Smith and they had one son, Derek Smith. Eventually Shirley remarried in 1966 to Bert Custer. They spent several years traveling the U.S. and Europe for Bert’s military career, and during this time Shirley completed her BFA degree in interior design. She and Bert eventually retired to the Renton area and built a beautiful home on Renton Hill. Shirley spent 43 years in that home, where she

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