Rodney Lee Schellpfeffer

Rodney Lee Schellpfeffer, passed away at the Bethany Riverside Nursing Home, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease, Thursday, April 2, 2020. He was born in Mayville, Wis., Jan. 4, 1937, to the late Herbert and Agnes Schellpfeffer.

Rod was a member of the Air National Guard of Wisconsin. He attended UW-Madison, receiving a degree in economics. He met his future wife, Mara Wakefield, while in school. They married in 1960. He began working as an adjuster for Sentry Insurance, where he continued until his retirement in 1992. He resided on French Island, for most of his life, serving on the Campbell Town Board for 20 years. He was a long time member of Trinity Lutheran Church in La Crosse and served on the church council.

Rodney was a one of a kind father to two daughters, Jody (Queak) Every of La Crosse and Jackie Gallogher of Onalaska. He spent much time with his daughters, involving them in his interests and teaching them many life lessons that made him their hero. He has three grandchildren, Julie, Ryan and Lucas. He has three great-granddaughters, Kinsley, Kora and Katie Weller. Rod loved his family and their visits to the nursing home, where he could enjoy the weather, eating meals outdoors and perusing the river and grounds whenever weather permitted.

Rod had many hobbies including turkey and deer hunting. Rod enjoyed golf and bowling; he especially enjoyed the Sentry golf course in Stevens Point, Wis. Later in life, Rod enjoyed hunting for golf balls. Rod was fond of the river and house boating. He and Mara took many trips down the river on the Peregrine and enjoyed camping on sandbars with their friends from the French Island Yacht Club. More than anything, Rod was an avid fisherman taking yearly trips up north to fish trout and musky. He enjoyed ice fishing as much as fishing from his boat or dock. Rod also enjoyed playing cribbage almost weekly with his longtime friend.

Rod loved sweets and was allowed to stay home from school one day a year to bake cookies with his mother, for the holidays. He continued this tradition, baking pies, candy and cookies with his children and grandchildren. Even at the nursing home he baked his favorite sugar cookie cut outs for every holiday.

The family deeply appreciates the staff of the 400 hallway, for their compassionate and dignified care during Rod’s three years at Bethany Riverside. Due to circumstances, funeral arrangements are pending.