Christina Shellabarger Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Christina (Tina) Shellabarger, age 103, of Berlin, WI. and formerly of Curlew, Iowa passed away on November 7 at Kindred Hearts Assisted LIving in Green Lake, WI. Tina was born on January 25, 1914 in Warwick, ND. She was the fourth of 7 children born to William and Martha Neumann Manz. Growing up Tina attended a 2 room school and completed her schooling in the eighth grade. She worked as a housekeeper for several years and moved to Iowa when she was 20. As a child of the Great Depression she was very thrifty and did not waste anything. She was one of those “use it up, wear it out, and go without”. She was often heard to say, “there’s still some wear left in this”. In 1936 she married Lester C. Shellabarger in Aryshire, IA and they made their home in Curlew. They had 3 children: Donna, Carol and John who passed away at age 19 from a car accident. She was a long time member of Zion Lutheran Church, Ayrshire and her faith and family were very important to her. Thanks to great neighbors and the kind, helpful people of Curlew Tina was able to live in her own home until she was 95 when she moved to Berlin, WI. to live with her daughter, Carol and son-in-law John Brennan. She lived in Berlin until she was 98 then moved into the assisted living center in Green Lake, WI. She was always very active, loved to walk and continued that exercise until the past year. To her grandchildren she was known as the “cookie grandma” and always had a supply in the freezer when they came to visit. She never had a bicycle, never learned to ride one and the grandchildren felt sorry for her until they heard that she had horses to ride! She never had a credit card, always wrote checks but never balanced her checkbook, she just made sure there was money in the account. During her years she always taught by example. She was kind, gentle, content and satisfied with what she had. She was not critical or judgemental. A favorite saying was: “It could be worse!” She is survived by her daughters Donna Pauley, Oakville, WA., and Carol (John) Brennan, Berlin, WI, 5 grandchildren: Brian Pauley, Oakville, WA, Logan Pauley, Seattle, WA, Amy (John) Driessen, DePere, WI, Peggy (Eric) Brinkmann, Kimberly, WI and John Brennan III (Kristi) Prior Lake MN; 6 great grandchildren: Emily Driessen, Grace, Jane & Ben Brinkmann and Jack & Ben Brennan. She is preceded in death by her husband Les, son John, son-in-law Alan Pauley and great grandson Kyle Driessen, her brothers Martin, Paul, Carl, John and Albert and sister Minnie. Tina will be cremated and funeral services will be held sometime next spring at Zion Lutheran Church, Ayrshire, IA., followed by inurnment in Rush Lake Cemetery, Curlew, IA. The family wishes to thank the caring staffs at Kindred Hearts and Heartland Hospice. Condolences may be forwarded to: Carol and John Brennan, W1533 Gladys Ct., Berlin, WI 54923.

Christina Shellabarger

January 25, 1914 - November 7, 2017