Marlene Joyce Shedenhelm Yetzer

Marlene Joyce Shedenhelm Yetzer’s body lost a courageous battle, but her determined spirit and memory will always live on. Marlene died at Med Central Mansfield Hospital on Friday March, 15, 2013, after a long illness. She was 74. She was born into this life on September 26, 1938 on a small farm in Benton, OH the daughter of Robert R. and Vera E. (Keller) Shedenhelm. As a young girl, she moved to Shelby where she was a resident all of her life. She was a hometown girl whose life was lived within 10 square miles of this earth. Even though she had her roots in Shelby, Marlene traveled throughout the United States: Always glad to get where she was going and relieved to be home because she hated airplanes, boats and long bridges.

She married Dave Yetzer on her 21^st birthday on September 26, 1959 and they celebrated over 53 years of marriage. When telling the story of how they met, she laughed that he called her at 6 PM on New Year’s Eve for a date. She knows that she may have been the second or third choice, but it was the best call he ever made. A 1956 graduate of Shelby High School she was a proud member of the Shelby High School marching band serving as a majorette, where her high kicks were legendary. She was a lover of sports, had season tickets for the Shelby Whippet football and basketball games for over 50 years and was a devout fan of the Shelby girls and boys basketball teams. On most Fall Saturday and Sunday afternoons she could be heard yelling at the TV and no one had better interrupt an Indian’s game.

Marlene worked for the Shelby Mutual Insurance Company (Fire Division) as an assistant office manager. After becoming a mother, she spent many years as a stay at home mom where the Yetzer house on Vernon Road was one where kids could be kids. Marlene opened her home to those children and they will always be considered a part of her extended family. After her children were in school, Marlene went back to school and became a legal secretary working for Attorneys Poland, Depler and Shepherd before moving to UAW/GM Legal Services as a legal secretary from which she retired. She was a member of the Richland County Legal Secretaries, Office and Professional Union, where she served as a steward, was an active member of the Sunshine Mother’s Club of Ohio Child Conservation League – holding offices at the local, district and state level, and a member of Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church where she was a Eucharistic minister, on church council, RCIA team and was a member of the Altar and Rosary Society, where she served as president. She was an election poll worker in Shelby, Plymouth, Plymouth Township, Jackson Township, and Cass Township  and was a FISH volunteer for many years. She enjoyed Bunka art and spending time with her grandsons.

She is survived by her husband, David J.Yetzer of Shelby;  4 children: Kathleen Cyphert of Washinton, DC; Elaine (Mark)Fagan of Shelby; Marty Yetzer of Columbus, OH, and Linda(Joe) Burke of Cincinnati, OH; 2 grandsons: John Cyphert, a freshman at The Ohio State University, and Christian  “CJ” Fagan, a 6^th grader at Crestview Elementary. She is also survived by her mother: Vera Shedenhelm of Shelby; 3 sisters: Valerie “Vicky” Poffenbaugh of Shelby, Patricia (Bill)  Papenbrock of Novelty, OH, and Sheri (Terry) Gestrin of Donnelly, ID; 2 brother: Bob (Maureen) Shedenhelm of New Albany, OH and Rick (Nancy) Shedenhelm of Dallas, TX; Special Friend: Michael Cyphert of Shelby; In Laws: Joan Ashley, John (Doris )Yetzer and Marge Yetzer; Her beloved dog: Daisy – her 5^th child. Numerous nieces, nephews and special friends. She was preceded in death by her father: Robert R. Shedenhelm.

Friends are welcome on Monday, March 18, 2013 from 2-4 and 6-8 PM at the Turner Funeral Home, 168 West Main Street, Shelby were the rosary will be recited at 7:45 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church at 10:30 AM with Father Nick Cunningham officiating. Burial will be in the parish cemetery. Memorials may be made to St. Mary School or to FISH. To send a message of condolence to the Yetzer family please visit our web site penwellturner.com