Shelly M. Osterndorff (1962-2022)

OSTERNDORFF, LAUGHTON, MERWIN, BOWLES, VANWYK, ZEMLICKA

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 9/3/2022 at 17:30:19

Even with being as strong as she could, Shelly M. (Merwin) Osterndorff age 60, passed away on August 25, 2022, due to complications with her heart.
Shelly was born on June 12, 1962, in Prairie du Chien, daughter of John and Deanna (Laughton) Merwin of Woodman, WI. Shelly and her family farmed outside of Platteville from 1966 until 1972, when they purchased the family farm in Livingston. Shelly attended Iowa-Grant High School where she was a member of the 1979 State Volleyball Team and graduated in 1980. After high school, she attended UW-Platteville where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Business Administration in 1985 and went to work in Mount Horeb as a paralegal for Attorney Mark B. Rooney for 32 years. On September 21, 1985 Shelly married the love of her life, David Osterndorff. In 2017, Shelly decided to return to work alongside her brother on the family farm. In addition to farming, she was also the Clerk for the Town of Clifton for 23 years and an active 4-H leader for 22 years for the Rewey Lucky Stars and a member of the 4-H Leaders Association for many years.Along with her involvement with 4-H Shelly also enjoyed taking her UTV and snowmobile on trails whenever she could. She was able to take her grandson on his first ever trail ride, where he drove by himself, in May and enjoyed her last ride on her birthday up in Iron Wood with the S.W.A.T club that she was a part of, taking her son’s ranger through the mud holes. Shelly enjoyed cheering on her kids, nieces/nephews, and grandkids in all their activities from the fair to all their sporting events

Shelly is survived by her husband, David; children Heather (Derek) Bowles-Van Wyk and Jonathan Osterndorff; grandchildren Noah and Isabella Bowles; Trinity, Jackson and Aubrey Van Wyk; parents John and Deanna Merwin; mother-in-law Phyllis Zemlicka; siblings Clayton (Nancy Osterndorff) Merwin and Audra (Ryan) Kuhls; special nephews, Ethan and Cade Kuhls; Colin Merwin and nieces Lexie Kuhls; Macy (Dillon) Bowser; brother and sister in-laws Dan (Vicki) Zemlicka, Linda (Randy) Govier, Randy (Cindy Miller) Zemlicka, Marie Fry, Kari (Daryl) Fernstaedt, Rick Zemlicka, Marcia (Chuck) Smet, Darren (Celeste) Zemlicka, and Kris (Dan) Liddicoat, along with may nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. Shelly is also survived by her special dog Annie who went everywhere with her on the farm.
Shelly was preceded in death by her grandparents, Joseph and Mae Merwin; Clay (Jack) and Helen Laughton; her nephew and godson, Tanner Merwin; her Aunt Minnie Rider; father in-laws George Osterndorff Jr; Norman Zemlicka and her brother in-law and sister in-law David Fry and Mary Kay Zemlicka.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Thursday September 8, 2022, at the Livingston United Methodist Church in Livingston, WI, with burial to follow in the Rock Church Cemetery rural Livingston, WI. Visitation will be held from 4-7:00 P.M. on Wednesday September 7, 2022, at the Soman-Larson Funeral Home in Montfort, WI and from 9:00 A.M. until the time of service at the church Thursday morning. The family encourages people attending to wear 4-H and John Deere Green or ATV/Snowmobile attire in her memory.