Sharlee Feller, 90, of Ladora, died on March 6, 2026 at University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM, Friday, March 13 at Trinity United Church of Christ south of Marengo. Interment will be at Genoa Bluff Cemetery near Ladora I-80 exit.

A visitation will begin at 12:00 PM, on Thursday, March 12 at Smith Funeral Home in Victor. The family will receive friends at the visitation held from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM.

Memorials may be designated to the Sharlee Feller Memorial Fund and mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 485, Victor, IA 52347. Memories and condolences may be shared with Sharlee's family online at www.smithfh.com.

Sharlee Mae (Rathjen) Feller was born the daughter of Melvin John and Marjorie Adele (York) Rathjen on November 27, 1935 in Sumner Township, Iowa County, Iowa. She was raised on the family dairy farm in Sumner Township. She went to Sumner Township #7 Country School thru 8th grade and graduated from Ladora High School with the Class of 1954. Sharlee enjoyed playing 6 on 6 basketball in high school.

On June 5, 1955, Sharlee was united in marriage to William E. Feller at St. Paul's Evangelical Reformed Church which is now Trinity United Church of Christ near Marengo, Iowa. The couple made their home on a farm near Ladora where they operated a grain and livestock farm. Together they raised four children: Billie Sue, Curt, John, and Cindy. In addition to farming, Sharlee and Bill raised purebred Belgian and North American Spotted Draft Horses as well as quarter horses. They loved taking their team of horses and wagon to parades and the Victor Christmas Celebration, as well as giving newlyweds a ride around town after their wedding. They were presented the 2020 Hall of Fame award by the Iowa Draft Horse Association at the State Fair. .

Sharlee's normal farm wife job consisted of feeding livestock, operating most all of the machinery, sewing, quilting, gardening, canning and keeping the farm books until her last child graduated from high school. She then added waitress at Landmark, and one year Kirkwood secretarial training. This led to secretarial jobs at I.D.O.T., Lutheran Synod office, and University of Iowa Law office.

Sharlee was very active in her community. She helped organize and found the Ladora Saddle Club in 1955 and held many offices, served for many years as a dedicated 4-H leader, served her church, and was an Iowa County Heartland Quilters member.

Some of Sharlee's best times were supporting her children and grandchildren's sporting events, 4-H, and music. Also included were the square dancing days, Ladora rodeos, threshing with horses, horse camping with the children, grandchildren, and Saddle Club members, and wagon and horse rides in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Colorado, and Montana. She deeply cherished the simple joys of life on the farm and believed a horse or wagon ride in the country was the best medicine to ease your troubles!

Survivors include her four children, Billie Sue (Kevin) Wille, Curt (Connie Fultz) Feller, John Feller, and Cindy Petz, all of Ladora; four grandchildren, Chelsey (Matthew) Markert, Cody (Katey) Wille, Adam (Mollie) Petz and Jackson Petz; her great-grandsons, Will and Wyatt Markert, and Cam Wille, and great granddaughters, Shae Wille, Sophie and Summer Petz; her sisters-in-law, Carole Rathjen of Ladora and Julie Rathjen of Tama; and her nieces and nephews. Sharlee's 4-legged companion (her horse), Murdock, is also a survivor hanging in there at age 37. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Bill Feller in 2011, her brothers, Larry and Daniel Rathjen, her nephew, Jon Rathjen, and her niece, Janis Rathjen.