Velma Aleta Katzer Sheller (McWilliams)
Velma Aleta Katzer Sheller (McWilliams) was born to Thomas Hugh and Martha (Hodges) McWilliams on May 13, 1919, in their farm home east of Marshalltown. She attended the country school. In 1921, they moved to Green Mountain district. Later they moved to Clemons on a family farm. She graduated, from the Conrad High School in 1937. She attended Iowa State Teachers College for one year. After graduating she taught in a rural one room school house in Grundy County until September 7, 1939. On that day she married Robert Katzer.
To this union three sons and one daughter were born. James, Wayne, Kenneth and JoAnn. She was a member of the Ivester Church of the Brethren since 1940. She was a Sunday School and Bible School Teacher, and an active member of the church. She was a lifetime deacon of the church also. For 25 years she was a cook for the Pine Lake Brethren camp at Eldora.
Robert passed away in 1973, in 1986 she married Charles Sheller in the Ivester Church. In 1994, she and Charles moved from the farm to their Marshalltown home. Charles died in 1999, later Velma had her membership moved to the Iowa Church of the Brethren.
She is survived by her children: Wayne Katzer, Ken Katzer, JoAnn Katzer and stepchildren Keith Sheller and Dan Sheller; grandchildren: Kristen Katzer, Jamie Jones, Ryan Katzer, Robert Katzer, Katie Hassler, Anne Katzer; step-grandchildren: Christine Sheller, Megan Kodiaga; great grandchildren: Jacob Kodiaga, Autumn Katzer, Tito Kodiaga, Kinzie Hassler, Kayla Hassler, and Amelia Katzer and sister Marilyn Culley.
She is preceded in death by her husbands Robert and Charles; son James; brothers Wilber, Robert and sister Hazel; parents Thomas and Martha and one grandson in infancy.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2018, at the Iowa River Church of the Brethren at 2:00 p.m. with a public visitation held on Friday February 16, at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home with the family to greet guests from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the ISU Foundation #2702532 under James Katzer Energy Fellowship. For condolences please visit www.Mitchellfh.com or call (641) 844-1234.