Stella B Sheppard

Stella held many jobs in her lifetime in addition to being a wonderful wife and mother she was a meatpacking plant worker, elevator operator, factory worker, dishwasher, switchboard operator, commissary worker, hospital equipment sterilizer, school cafeteria worker. After she “retired” from paying jobs she volunteered for the Salvation Army store, where she was known as the doll lady because she took home naked, broken, unwanted dolls, and she bathed them and fixed their hair and sewed the loveliest outfits for them then returned them to the store so they could be adopted to good homes.

If you knew Stella, you knew that she was a hard worker, but she also loved to have fun and joke around and playfully tease, and maybe flirt a little bit with the gentlemen. Stella also loved God and her church and she talked about both frequently. She had a small, well used and tattered, prayer book that she read from daily. Stella also enjoyed reading, sewing, shopping (which she called “bumming”), going to the casinos and stopping for coffee. Oh how she loved coffee. Morning, noon and night…she always wanted coffee with her meals or snacks. Even on days when she didn’t feel her best, she still wanted coffee!

Stella loved her family, her parents, sister and brothers, in-laws and cousins all who passed before her as did her husband Red and then Bob. Stella is survived by her three children: Richard Mickelson (Marge), Jane Merzwski (Dave) and Paul Mickelson (Pam), five grandchildren: James, Robert, Diana, Alina and Zara and one great grandchild: Derek

In lieu of flowers the family requests that tribute gifts be made to the Alzheimers Association at: alz.org

-or-

Tidewell Hospice at tidewellfoundation.org