Sheryl Lee Renslo

SHERYL'S LIVESTREAM SERVICE WILL BEGIN AT 11 a.m. CST on SATURDAY, FEB. 27, 2021 TO VIEW: SCROLL DOWN TO THE EVENTS, AND UNDER THE LIVESTREAM SERVICE CLICK ON "WATCH EVENT" MCFARLAND/MADISON/MINNEAPOLIS - Sheryl Lee Renslo, 76, of Minneapolis, formerly of McFarland/Madison, Wis., died peacefully surrounded by family on Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021, in Minneapolis after a cerebral hemorrhage. Sheryl was a bright light in the lives of many because of her kindness, her genuine care for and curiosity about others, and her love of music. Sheryl was born on March 6, 1944, in Willmar, Minn., to Leo and Marcella (Onnen) Anderson. She grew up on a farm near Raymond, Minn., where her love for the land took root, and her joy for singing was encouraged by family and neighbors. Sheryl was a 1966 graduate of St. Olaf College, where she sang in the choir. While at St. Olaf, Sheryl volunteered for the Tuskegee Institute Summer Education Program and spent a summer in rural Alabama teaching students during the Civil Rights era. She married Robert Renslo of Caledonia, Minn., on Dec. 17, 1967. Together, Sheryl and Bob taught at international schools in Germany and Libya during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1982, they took their three kids abroad to teach in Jakarta, Indonesia. As a music teacher at Westside Elementary in Sun Prairie, Wis., Sheryl shared her love for music with thousands of students before retiring in 2003. Sheryl poured love into her family. She was a lifelong gardener, sang with the Unkalung choir, and was a fierce advocate for social justice, cultural, and charitable causes. She was active in land preservation efforts in the Town of Dunn near McFarland, Wis., where she raised her family and lived for 45 years. On May 14, 2016, Sheryl married Charles Larson and was blessed to find a wonderful partner in travel and just causes. They were faithful members of Lake Edge Lutheran Church in Madison, where Sheryl worshipped for almost 50 years. Though frontal lobe dementia colored the last years of life, Sheryl’s lively spirit and love for family never dimmed. Her family thanks the Memory Care staff at Pillars of Prospect Park in Minneapolis for their dedicated care in the last three months of Sheryl’s life. Sheryl is survived by her husband Charles Larson of Minneapolis; her son, Adam (Miho Kubota) Renslo of Oakland, Calif.; two daughters, Alexandra (Todd Cochran) Renslo and Elizabeth "Libby" (Wesley Nondorf) Renslo-Nondorf, both of Minneapolis; and two grandsons, Takuma and Kazuya Renslo. Sheryl is also survived by brother Robert (Colleen) Anderson of Cedar, Minn.; her sister, Dawn (Fred) Jensen of Minnetonka, Minn.; and sister-in-law, Rita (Lloyd) Peterson of New Brighton, Minn.; as well as many other in-laws, nieces, and nephews. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Robert Renslo in 2002; her parents; and her brother, Dr. Douglas Anderson. A private funeral service will be held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities in Minneapolis, livestreamed at blctcmn.co/stream on Feb. 27, 2021, at 11 a.m. Burial will be held at Town of Dunn Burying Ground, on Sandhill Road and Highway B in Oregon, Wis., at 1 p.m. on March 1, 2021. Friends and family are welcome to attend, and masks will be provided. A public celebration of Sheryl’s life will take place in Madison at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the McFarland Education Foundation-Sheryl Renslo Scholarship, P.O. Box 206, McFarland, WI 53558; or to Lake Edge Lutheran Church. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care 5203 Monona Drive (608) 221-5420