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Clara Katherine Koehler Sherrill
1925 - 2016
- Clara K. Sherrill
October 11, 1925 - December 22, 2016
Obituary for Clara K. Sherrill
Clara K. Sherrill, age 91, was called to her heavenly home on December 22,
2016. There she joins the love of her life, Dale D. Sherrill, with whom
she was married for 53 years. Four children, 16 grandchildren, and 14
great grandchildren, along with countless others will hold her in their
hearts and minds.
A funeral service will be held 1pm Thursday, December 29, 2016 at
Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 419 N Delaware Ave in Mason City, IA. A
visitation will be held one hour prior to service time, interment will
follow the service.
She was born Clara Katherine Koehler in Webster City, Iowa, to Harry and
Auguste Koehler. She grew up on the family farm as the oldest of 9
children. She learned things like how to make her dad’s famous soap, smoke
meat, and care for her brothers and sisters.
When she was 9, she was stricken with rheumatic fever and was confined to
her bedroom for four years. She passed the time reading a great number of
books from the local library, and kept up with her studies by tutoring
siblings who brought home all their materials. Though it was a difficult
time, the experience instilled in Clara a passion for teaching, learning,
and literature.
She carried that love all through her life; she was very proud of her time
teaching K-8 in a one room schoolhouse near Mason City. Her own children
recall fondly the stories she read aloud; every character had its own
voice, and the stories came vividly to life. Many of her grandchildren
remember her encouraging them to aspire to be national spelling bee
champions so that they could travel to Washington D.C. for the final
competition.
Her love of learning extended seamlessly into the natural world. You could
always ask her what kind of tree or flower the two of you were viewing.
She was known for bringing her children and grandchildren on “Uncle
Wiggly” adventures down remote roads to spot deer and other wildlife, hunt
for rocks, or rescue angry snapping turtles from the middle of the road.
When she was a senior in high school, she played the violin. She became
lifelong friends with her music teacher, Phyllis, after they played
together in the city orchestra. One weekend, Phyllis masterminded an
introduction to her brother Dale during his furlough from the U.S. Army.
Enamored and aware of the competition, Dale wrote her letters between
visits, sometimes as many as 5 a day.
He conspired with Phyllis to pick out the perfect engagement ring after
he’d proposed by mail. His father Elmer put the ring on her finger at the
Koehler reunion, much to her surprise, and they were engaged even before
he’d returned from overseas! He continued to write nearly every day until
they were finally reunited; they married on December 21, 1946.
They raised their four children in Urbandale, Iowa. They lived in a
close-knit neighborhood with 42 kids on the block. The kids all loved to
pick berries in her backyard to earn themselves a popsicle. Working at
Barbara’s Bake Shop (for 15+ years), she would often bring the day’s
excess treats home for everyone. The bake shop’s pink champagne cake was a
particular favorite at many Mason City family gatherings. Another favorite
was Clara’s home-made fudge.
Her deep love for children inspired her to volunteer at the local Easter
Seal center, working with disabled children and driving them to and from
the center each day. Her children remember riding along in the big white
station wagon, all the while learning that everyone has value for who they
are, despite having all kinds of differences.
That love shined all through her life; she became a grandmother, then a
great grandmother, but all who knew Clara thought of her as “everybody’s
grandmother”.
She is survived by her children: Margaret Farchtchi of Vienna, Virginia,
Wendy and Leland Welch of Des Moines, Mandi and Kevin Wing of San Marcos,
Texas, and Dale and Nanci Sherrill of Grand Prairie, Texas; grandchildren:
Sophia Atcherson, Ruhollah and Masumeh Farchtchi; Lee II, Tom, Sherrill
and Stephanie Welch; Auguste Couser, Nickolaus, Jordan, Taylor, Jaeden and
Isaac Wing, Julia Miller; Christopher and Caitlin Sherrill;
great-grandchildren: Athena Williams; Sina and Maya Farchtchi; Maryam and
Jafer Idris; Lee III, Michael, Matthew, Johnny, Jon, Owen and Emma Welch
and Dallas and Easton Couser; brothers: Frank and John Koehler; sisters:
Karen Peters and Mary Eggebraaten.
She was preceded in death by her husband Dale Sherrill, her parents Harry
and Auguste Koehler, three brothers, Harry, Duane and Nicholas Koehler and
one sister Rosella Schmidt.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to one of the following
charities:
source: © Hogan Bremer Moore Colonial Chapels, 126 Third Street
Northeast, Mason City, IA 50401, 641-423-2372; [http://www.colonialchapels.com
]
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- Clara K Koehler Sherrill: born 1925 - died 22 Dec 2016
Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa
Grave marker at Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
- Wife of: Dale D Sherrill, born 1924 -
died 2000
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- source: Find-A-Grave, memorial# 174405112
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