Jeffrey Wayne Shaner, 70, of Sanborn, MN, passed away peacefully on June 26th, 2026, at Woodstone Senior Living in New Ulm, Minnesota surrounded by family.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Sturm Funeral Home in Springfield and on Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at the church. A memorial service will be held at Bethany Lutheran Church in Storden, Minnesota on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at Bethany Lutheran Cemetery. Arrangements are with Sturm Funeral Home in Springfield. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.
Jeff was born on May 29th, 1956, to Sirwell (Hans) and Corinne in Heron Lake, Minnesota. He grew up in Storden, Minnesota the youngest of six children. The Shaner family ran the local newspaper, “The Storden Times.” He spent his younger years involved in baseball, basketball, football, hunting, fishing, and working on the Bondhus and Halland farms. After Jeff graduated from Storden/Jeffers High School in 1974, he continued his education at Worthington Community College to play baseball and graduated with an A.A. degree in 1976. He next attended Southwest State University and earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in physical education, health, and coaching while also playing baseball.
After graduation, he began a teaching and coaching job at Sanborn High School where he met the love of his life, Mary. While she was finishing her college education, he enrolled in a dance class that she was currently taking to get to know her better. They fell in love and were married on June 15th, 1985. They just celebrated forty-one years together. They have three daughters: Crystal, Karie, and Kelly. He enjoyed coaching and watching his daughters play sports along with hunting and fishing alongside them.
He taught physical education and health while also coaching football, girls’ basketball, baseball, and softball at multiple schools- Sanborn, Sanborn/Lamberton, Red Rock Central High Schools as well as Jeffers Legion Baseball. He was a football official for 25 years with some highlights reffing at the MSHSL tournament and having wild game feeds with his reffing crew.
Jeff spent his summers on the Bondhus farm with his lifelong friend, Barry. He learned many life lessons while working on the farm and was treated as a Bondhus family member. This is where he spent most of his time hunting deer, pheasants, ducks, and geese.
Throughout his life he was an active outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting and fishing with friends and family. He enjoyed spending time with friends, sharing stories and exchanging his knowledge and love of hunting and fishing. He was the chairman of the Red Rock Chapter Ducks Unlimited Banquet. He has many guns, art prints, decoys and other sporting memorabilia and even had to apologize for bringing a puppy home once.
Jeff is survived by his loving wife, Mary (Posz); daughters, Crystal & (Derek) Lerner, Karie & (Marcus) Seifert, & Kelly Shaner; grandchildren, Ariela, David & Lois Lerner, Madison & Kayden Seifert; siblings, Janice Yench, Steve Shaner; and Labrador, Kate. He was preceded in death by his parents, Sirwell (Hans) & Corinne (Lind) Shaner; siblings, Elwin, Don, Arlyce, Dean; sisters-in-law, Christine Shaner, Barb Shaner; brother-in-law, Gary Yench and many hunting dogs: Shane, Corky, Reb, Jet, Tar, Czar, Jazz, Whiz, Tar, Rikki, Hondo, and Bo.
Blessed be his memory.