A funeral service for Sharlene Engel, age 88, of Lake Park, Iowa, was held Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Concordia Lutheran Church in Lake Park.
Sharlene Elsie Stettnichs was born on May 17, 1936, in Rock Rapids, Iowa, to Harry and Martha Stettnichs. Sharlene attended a country school by Lester, Iowa, for four years. The family moved to Alvord, Iowa, to farm and at age 10, they moved to the family farm in Larchwood. After Sharlene graduated in 1954, she moved to Rock Rapids and worked as a telephone operator.
Sharlene met Larry Sheeler in high school and was married on September 6, 1958. After Larry served in the service, they moved back home to the family farm near Kingsley, Iowa, and later farmed near Larchwood. After living in Sioux Falls for a short time, they moved to California where Larry worked in a glass plant. They started raising their family when they made the move back to Larchwood after one year. At that time, Sharlene worked at her parents’ Stettnichs Café. A few years later, they moved to Luverne where Larry worked at IBP and a few years later the family moved to West Point, Nebraska, after Larry’s promotion. After two years, they returned to Luverne and Sharlene began working part time as a telephone operator. The Sheeler family of five moved several times in Luverne as Sharlene and Larry remodeled homes as we call today, “flipped houses”. After Larry passed away on May 1, 1976, Sharlene began work as a part-time aide at Luverne Elementary.
After Sharlene met John Engel at the VFW in Luverne, they began dating and were later married on March 11, 1978. They raised their family in Lake Park, Iowa, and were members of the Concordia Lutheran Church in Lake Park. John had a Plumbing & Heating Business and Sharlene owned and operated the Downstairs Attic, a secondhand store in the basement of the plumbing business. After several years, they moved to Shakopee where Sharlene worked at the Scott County Courthouse. Four years later, they returned to Lake Park to the Engel Family Home on Silver Lake. They remodeled and ran a Bed & Breakfast from their home. They enjoyed meeting many people and visiting with their customers.
Sharlene enjoyed gardening, fishing with the family, watching her kids in sports and traveling with family, especially her husband, John. She loved being around and seeing her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Sharlene passed away March 31, 2025, at the Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, at the age of eighty-eight.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Larry Sheeler; parents, Harry and Martha Stettnichs; sister, Carol Smith; brothers-in-law, Dean Sheeler and Rodney Engel; and sisters-in-law, Carolyn Snyders and Gloria Ellsworth.
Left to cherish Sharlene’s memory are her husband, John Engel; six children, Steve (Judy) Sheeler, Terry (Lori) Sheeler, Troy (Nancy) Sheeler, Sherri (Mike Nelson), Elyse Engel (husband, Mike Webber) and Brian Engel; grandchildren, Amanda Sheeler, Jennifer Sheeler, Cory (Brittany) Sheeler, Brandon (Cassy) Sheeler, Brittany (Ken) Brennan, Greg (Sabrina) Sheeler, Derek (Madison) Sheeler, Marcus (Cat) Sheeler, Leah Sheeler, Marissa Sheeler, Mariah Sheeler, Vincent Sheeler, Andrea Nelson, Skyla Nelson, Brad Engel, Amy (Matthew) Hansen, Jenny (Noah) Utterback, Krystina (Ryan) Moore and Ryan (Jennifer) Bachand; twenty-two great-grandchildren; two brothers, Stan Stettnichs and Virgil Stettnichs; brother-in-law, Bob Smith; sisters-in-law, Darlene Sheeler and Sylvia Stettnichs; brother-in-law, Bob Engel; many nieces and nephews.
Sharlene was blessed with love and mercy from her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Turner Jenness Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
