Shelley M. Koester Obituary
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Shelley Marie Koester on January 12, 2025, at the age of 54, after losing her valiant battle against Stage 4 colon cancer. She left us peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones. A beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, Shelley will always be remembered for her thoughtfulness and her devoted love to the ones she held dear.
Although it may be considered an unlucky day to some, Shelley began her life on October 13, 1970. The 13th was always her lucky number, and quickly became a lucky number for all who were graced to have had Shelley in their lives. Shelley was the daughter of Sharon Mutchler and the late Dick Green and sister to two brothers: Stevie and Bret. Growing up, Shelley was an avid tennis player and some of her favorite memories were of time spent with her Grandpa Joe.
New Year's Eve is always electric, and December 31, 1990, was no exception, when Shelley met the love of her life, Tim Koester, on the Cascade Ski Mountain. A whirlwind romance between two kids; fueled by long distance love letters while Shelley attended UW-Oshkosh and Tim worked in Illinois, bloomed into 34 beautiful years of marriage. Her greatest joys and accomplishments were the love of her husband and the gift of being a Mom to their only child, Laquen.
Shelley dedicated her life to raising Laquen, never missing a school function, sporting event, or helping with a late-night school project. She loved her family, and didn't think it was possible to love something as fiercely as her daughter, until her granddaughters, Aralynn and Everly, entered the world. Shelley called her unit, Team TEAL (Tim, Everly, Aralynn, Laquen), and delighted in spending time with them more than anything in the world, including annual trips to her favorite place, the Wisconsin Dells. Shelley loved children and enjoying a lighthearted time, always teasing that she would rather sit at the kids tables during holidays.
Being the strong woman she was, one of Shelley's favorite quotes was, "well-behaved women seldom make history.". She lived life with a tenacity to be admired, surprising everyone up until the very end with her will to fight and enjoy every last minute she could with the ones she loved. She may not have been the loudest person in the room, but her presence was a catalyst for joy and fun everywhere she went, and she was the glue that held many of us together. Her zest for life will forever be missed.
Shelley's. Celebration of Life. Visitation will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2025, from 1-4PM at the Schmidt & Bartelt Funeral Home in Menomonee Falls. All are welcome. Per Shelley's wishes, in lieu of flowers, memorials to the family via the GoFundMe page are appreciated https://gofund.me.
