Starlene Rena Shinafelt, 60, of Centerville, Iowa, formerly of Green City, Missouri, passed away Wednesday, January 31, 2024, at Mercy One in Centerville, Iowa.
Starlene was born August 16, 1963, in Unionville, Missouri, to Star Richard and Judith Ellen (Schoonover) Shinafelt. She was preceded in death by her parents and her grandparents, Walter and Emma Marie (Johnson) Shinafelt, and Burnice Levern and Emily Nadine (McCollum) Schoonover.
Starlene is survived by two sisters, Susan and her husband Brent Martsching of Moulton, Iowa, and Sheila Shinafelt-Billington of Green City, Missouri; nieces and nephews, Shelby Billington and Keaton Tade of Green Castle, Missouri, Kalen and Natalie (Potter) Martsching of Moulton, Shayla (Martsching) and Tanner Swarts of Moulton; great-nieces and nephews, Maddox Martsching, Sawyer Tade, and Stormi Tade; aunts and uncles, Shirley Shinafelt-LaGarde of Encino, California, William and Janet Schoonover of Pollock, Missouri, and Pauline (Schoonover) and the late Max Probasco of Dawn, Missouri.
Starlene was a graduate of Davis County Community High School in Bloomfield, Iowa, class of 1981. She participated in the Band Color Guard and was the High School Wrestling Manager. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education with a Title Class Endorsement from Truman State University in Kirksville in 1985, followed by a Master’s Degree in Reading Education from William Woods University. Starlene was a past Brownie and Girl Scout and a member of the Order of the Rainbow for Girls. She attended several churches, including Fairview Baptist Church in Pollock, Fairview Baptist Church in Ottumwa, Ottumwa Baptist Church, Dunnville Baptist Church, and Green City First Baptist Church. She was also a member of the Sullivan County MO DAR, Schuyler County MO DAR, and the Sullivan County Missouri Genealogical Society. Starlene taught at Afton, Iowa, Milan C-II Elementary, Moberly Elementary, St. Joseph Elementary, and Nixa Elementary schools. She enjoyed participating in Tribal ceremony Pow Wows.
Funeral services for Starlene will be held at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, February 4, 2024, at Ruschmeier-Smith Funeral Home in Green City, Missouri. Burial will follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, east of Green City. A visitation is scheduled for one hour prior to the service, starting at 1:00 p.m.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the family to be used at the family’s discretion.
