Wendell Sheriff, 88, of Greenfield

Open Visitation:  Will be held on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Lamb Funeral Home in Greenfield.  The Lamb Funeral Home in Greenfield is in charge of the professional arrangements.  Online condolences may be left to the family at www.lambfuneralhomes.com.

Family Visitation:  The family will greet friends on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at the Lamb Funeral Home in Greenfield from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Burial:  Private Family Burial will be held in the Greenfield Cemetery at a later date.

Memorials:  Memorials may be directed to Wendell Sheriff Memorial Fund to be established by the family at a later date.

Wendell Orlie Sheriff was born January 24, 1935, the first son of Orlie James and Gertrude Helen (Brown) Sheriff in rural Adair County, Union Township, near Zion, Iowa. He passed away on Tuesday, July 11, 2023 at Caring Acres Nursing and Rehab in Anita, Iowa at the age of 88.

Wendell was raised in the Zion and Hebron area. Attending kindergarten through third grade in Zion, attending fourth through eighth grade in Grand River, rejoining the class as a freshman driving the neighborhood children to school in Zion. He graduated at the top of his class of seven from Zion Consolidated School in 1953. 

He was inducted into the Army on April 2, 1957 in Des Moines at the age of 22. He completed all of his training at the same post, same division and unit in Fort Lewis, Washington making Private First Class January 23, 1958. He departed from the port of Fort Whittier, Washington in January, 1958 to complete cold weather training in Alaska, returning to Seattle in March of 1958. While serving in the Army, he received the Good Conduct Medal. Upon returning to Iowa, while on leave, he was introduced to Judy Folk by mutual friends.  On June 19, 1960 they married at the First Christian Church in Adel, Iowa. To his union two children were born: Susanne and Jim.

Wendell farmed with his father, Orlie, brothers, Clifford and Bruce, and later his son, Jim, raising cattle and pigs and growing soybeans and corn. He was a salesman for Funk’s G seed corn. Later in life, he began to drive a truck working for Schildberg Construction Company and Rose Acre Farms and then was an over the road truck driver.

In 1971 Wendell began to take flying lessons obtaining his private pilot’s license eight months later. He continued taking lessons completing the necessary course work and flying time for a commercial pilot’s license and instrument rating, He was a member of the Flying Farmers of Iowa.

Wendell was active in the community being a YMCA Indian Guide leader, a member of the Optimist Club, a member of the Greenfield United Methodist Church and served on the Adair County Board of Supervisors that involved various boards and committees from January 1, 1979 to December 31, 1983. One proud accomplishment was being elected as a delegate to the Iowa Republican Convention. 

He was preceded in death by his wife Judy; parents, Orlie and Gertrude Sheriff, parents in-law, Clair and Ellen (Poffenberger) Folk, brother Clifford Sheriff, sister-in-law, Nadine Cottle Ashmore and brother- in-law, George Cottle.

He is survived by daughter, Susanne Sheriff and fiancé Arvell Sherrard of Greenfield; son, Jim Sheriff (Misty Fitzgerald) of Greenfield; two grandchildren, Alexis and Trenten; brother, Bruce Sheriff and wife Gerry, sister-in-law, Eileen Sheriff, of Greenfield and brother-in-law, Don Folk of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; other relatives and friends.

The family of Wendell Sheriff wishes to express their gratitude for all the acts of kindness shown to them in their time of sorrow. With special appreciation to the devoted and caring staff at Caring Acres Nursing and Rehab.