Obituary

Gladys Magdalena (Stoffel) Scharrer was born November 27, 1933. She came into the world like a blazing comet but left this world peacefully on May 15, 2024. It was as if she had orchestrated her final hours, with a special prayer service and her family gathered around her bedside. She saw that her work was finally complete, and that her family was well. She then simply slipped away.

Born to Natalia and Arthur Stoffel, she was the second of five children: Arlene (Joe), Shirley (Gordon), Gerald (a TRUE Hero), and James (Patricia). Growing up on a busy farm, Gladys much preferred to be in the barn, fields, forests, and getting into mischief with her cousin Marvin. She enjoyed nature but could handle all the duties in the home if she had to! Then, she met the love of her life while he was driving her to school on the bus during her senior year of high school. One year later, she married that rascal, Frank B. Scharrer (deceased June 11, 2023) on June 14, 1952. Then the fun REALLY started.

While stationed in Colorado, Frank and Gladys welcomed their first child, Steve. After completing his military duty, Frank and Gladys settled near Cedar Lake, Wisconsin, eventually residing in 3 different homes in that area. There, they welcomed the rest of their tribe, including Russell, Janine, Alan, Kris, Roy, Jerome, Brian, and Connie. They also sent their son Joseph straight to Jesus' lap to wait for all of us. If you are counting, yes, TEN children! For that alone, Gladys deserves her own seat in Heaven. At this point, she and her husband were engulfed in all the responsibilities and duties of raising this herd. If Frank was not working two jobs, then Gladys would be working a second shift factory position.

In 1973, they loaded up all their belongings, most of the kids, and moved from Gladys' dream lake home to a dilapidated farmhouse north of Allenton, Wisconsin, "because Dad got a great deal on it". They turned this nearly falling down farm into the showplace it is today with the daily work of the entire family. Gladys took great pride in her home and the resplendent flowers that occupied every corner outside and inside.

But home, by itself, was too small to contain her boundless energy. Gladys took a position in the kitchen of a well-known local restaurant, the Fireside. She developed even more culinary skills while making many life-long friends. She remained there until the place was sold and eventually closed.

Free time? What free time? They did find it and spent it loading up all the family in various types of "recreational vehicles" for camping expeditions all over the Midwest but longed for their "cabin by a peaceful and placid lake". This dream was realized when they acquired a small, run-down fishing cabin on a small lake in Central Wisconsin. Using the skills they had learned from resurrecting their farmhouse, Gladys and Frank, and the kids they could catch, rebuilt this shack into their dream get-away, The Golden Retreat. They, along with all of their children, grandchildren, and many other relatives, crafted many memories at this beautiful vacation home while not irritating their neighbors TOO severely.

Gladys was not done with her calling to serve others. For 40 years, she put her heart into caring for family members in need, including her mother-in-law Elizabeth, her own mother, Natalia, her son Brian while he battles Myotonic Dystrophy, and eventually, Frank as his health seeped away. She put her entire heart into these endeavors; ultimately, it was her heart that said enough is enough.

We will all miss her love, kindness, caring, tremendous sense of humor, and her ability to straighten everyone out with just one firm look. Thank you to everyone for their kind words and powerful prayers. We appreciate these more than we can say. Rest in peace, Mom. Your work here is done, and that work is a legacy for us all.

The family would like to take this opportunity to praise the angels who attended our mother at the end: Michele and Tammy, the RNs from Horizon Hospice, daily care team members Jean Strupp, Sheryl Sanger, Wendy Senger, Linda Peckels, and most important of all caretakers, a true angel amongst angels, Rebecca Lowe. For all their hard work, thank you so very much for making Mom's transition so peaceful and filled with true love, kindness, and compassion.

The Scharrer family would also like to request that in lieu of flowers, please donate, in honor of Gladys Scharrer, to Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation:

663 Thirteenth Street, Suite 100

Oakland, CA 94612

Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation - Primary Donate Page (networkforgood.com)

This currently incurable illness has affected numerous family members and Gladys was determined that it be defeated.

Thank you to everyone. We feel it is a tremendous privilege to share the memories of our mother with all of you.

Steve (Heidi), Russell (Lucy), Janine (Darrell), Alan (Diane), Kris (Mike), Roy (Laura), Jerome (Diane), Brian and Connie (Jerry), 19 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.

Until we meet again, Mom…

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 4:00pm on Thursday, June 6, 2024 at Resurrection Catholic Parish (215 Main St. Allenton, WI 53002) with Fr. Richard Stoffel presiding. Visitation will be at church on Thursday, June 6th from 1:00pm until 3:45pm. Private family interment at Saint Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery in Nenno, WI.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Gladys Scharrer, please visit our flower store.