Sheila Scharnberg

Sheila Scharnberg, 70, of Everly Iowa, passed away peacefully in her home Saturday, November 20th following a courageous 4-year battle with cancer. She was born to Geoffrey and Thelma Grist on June 13th, 1940, in Lancashire England. In 1953 she immigrated to Newcastle, Australia with her parents and younger brother. During her life in Australia, Sheila had many jobs but greatly enjoyed her time working as a window display artist for large metropolitan stores. Sheila later met her husband Gary Scharnberg in Woomera Australia, whom she married in Colorado in 1976. That same year, Sheila and Gary moved to the Scharnberg family farm in Everly, Iowa where she developed a deep appreciation for farm animals and wildlife, often becoming surrogate mother to many orphaned lambs, piglets, kittens, and birds. Sheila remained a Australian citizen throughout her life but made herself at home in Iowa. She was active in the local community for many years, lending her artistic talents to numerous projects and causes. She developed the holiday fundraising event "It's a Small Small Christmas" to help pay for the restoration and moving of a old one room school house to the Everly park. Throughout the 80s and early 90s Sheila was active in the yearly "Everly Community Educational Concerts" (E.C.E. Concerts) in which she designed posters, pamphlets, stages, and costumes. For a period of time, many buildings in Everly featured large outdoor or indoor murals by Sheila including Harms Implement, the fire station, the United Farmer's Telephone Company, Piccadilly Pizza, and the Everly Public Library. Sheila also provided her skills to design sets, props, and decor for many proms and plays at the Everly high school. In 1999, Sheila received a volunteer award from Governor Terry Branstad. Sheila is survived by her husband Gary Scharnberg of Everly; her son and his wife Allan and Trina Grist of Port Pirie, Australia; her son Michael Scharnberg of Everly; her grandson Byron Grist; her mother Thelma Grist of Port Pirie, Australia; her brother Geoff G. Grist of Yeppoon, Australia; and many nieces and nephews who care very much for her. Sheila was preceded in death by her infant son, Rob Scharnberg and her father, Geoffrey Grist.

SERVICES

OFFICIATING

CASKET BEARERS

VISITATION

MUSIC

INTERMENT