Phyllis Lorraine Scharfenberg

The Lord gave Phyllis Lorraine (Wiedmeyer) Scharfenberg to the world on July 20, 1941, and called her back home on April 11, 2026.

Phyllis began her life with her parents Lorraine (Herman) and Phillip Wiedmeyer. Phillip and his brother met an untimely death in a car/train accident when she was very young. Lorraine then married Orville Hack. Phyllis grew up blessed with three sets of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

The family moved from West Bend to the family dairy farm outside of Allenton, WI. Phyllis graduated as valedictorian from Slinger High School and then went to work at Zwald Feed Mill in Slinger. She met Donald Scharfenberg at Zivko Chandelier Ballroom. They married on November 27, 1962. Within three years they welcomed their three children into the world – Jackie, Don, and Sharon. In the summer of 1963, they purchased the house in Oconomowoc they have called home for the past 63 years. Phyllis raised the kids while Donald worked for Carnation and its subsequent owners. They spent many, many summers taking roads trips with their pop-up camper throughout the United States. This also came with weekend camping trips with family friends. Phyllis and Donald enjoyed being members of the Jaycees in their early years, helping with many community projects and making lifelong friends. Phyllis was her children’s cheerleader and coach, learning right along with them as they pursued their interests. This included learning about horses with Sharon, the workings of nature with Jackie, and hunting with Don. She became an integral part of their school’s PTA as well as Jackie and Sharon’s Girl Scout troops which led to her taking on the roles of troop leader, Neighborhood Chair, and a member of various council level committees. She learned to decorate cakes when Jackie’s Girl Scout troop created their own cake decorating badge. Over the years she baked and decorated cakes for family and friends’ events from confirmation and birthday cakes to wedding cakes.

Phyllis was also very involved with Dr. Martin Luther Church. She assisted with the Sunday School, served on various committees, filled the role of Council Chairperson, and helped coordinate numerous special events such as the Shrove Tuesday Mardis Gras pancake supper.

She enjoyed crocheting and doing other stitchery art projects. One of her major loves was gardening including harvesting the bounty of the vegetable garden or taking in the beauty of her flower beds. She would ask, “Why do we do all this work?” Then someone would say, “What would we talk about if we didn’t garden?” And boy, did she love a good conversation on just about any topic, but politics.

When Clarke Johnson became the director of the Oconomowoc Park and Recreation Department, he hired Phyllis as his Administrative Assistant since she was so well connected to the community. Clarke left, but she remained for more than 25 years. “Holy balls! You know, soccer balls, baseballs, golf balls…”

In retirement Phyllis and Don continued their involvement with church, went on gambling junkets, traveled to visit family and friends, volunteered at events coordinated by their children, assisted with their kids’ and their own home improvement projects, and took time to smell the roses.

Phyllis will be missed and remembered by her husband, Donald R. Scharfenberg, her three children and their spouses – Jackie Scharfenberg and Roger Clark, Donald J. and Donna Scharfenberg, and Sharon and Manny Londońo, her four grandchildren along with her sister Susan (Hack) Masche, brother David Wiedmeyer and his wife Margie, nieces, nephews, cousins, and scores of friends.

A visitation will take place on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Dr. Martin Luther Church (325 S Main St, Oconomowoc, WI 53066) from 1:00pm to 3:00pm, with a service to follow.