Clear, 67° F
Shirley Ann Thompson, 84, of Powell, Wyoming, passed away on May 3, 2026. Born on June 4, 1941, in Fort Collins, Colorado, to Albert and Ann Kamm, she was one of five children raised with strong values of hard work, family and community.
In 1949, when Shirley was just 8 years old, the Kamm family moved to Wyoming as part of a government lottery program to homestead land that had once been the Heart Mountain Japanese Internment Camp during World War II. There, they built a life together. The family farm became a local landmark thanks to Albert’s iconic “Kamm’s Korner” sign, which helped travelers and neighbors find their way through the Heart Mountain properties. That sign has since been lovingly rebuilt and still stands today — an enduring symbol of the Kamm family’s roots in the area.
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Ann Kamm; her brother, James; her sisters, Marilyn and Susan; and her grandson, Cole Thompson.
Shirley is survived by her husband of 65 years, Larry Thompson; her children, Michelle Winter, Jay Thompson, and Traci Smith; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild
Cremation has taken place and no services will be held. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Shirley’s memory to a charity of your choice that supports rural communities or agricultural heritage.
