Birth date: Jun 26, 1942 Death date: Feb 20, 2026
Elaine Retberg Shetler, 83, longtime resident of Sterling, VA, passed away on February 20th at Heritage Hall in Leesburg. She was born on June 26th, 1942 in South Haven, Michigan to Louis and Verna Retberg, the 2nd of 6 children. Read Obituary
As a child I remember my brother and I visiting my Aunt and Uncle In DC. We were very fortunate to be able to go to the museums behind the scenes and to have 2 extremely knowledgeable people give us tours. My Aunt Elaine introduced us to Marionettes and Peter and the Wolf, they helped us pick out our own Marionette to take home and showed us how to make them move. Of course being little boys it did not take long before we figured out how to make them box each other. Time passes so quickly but the memories are still clear as if it were yesterday. God Bless her and her family.
I want to thank Lara and Stephen for their wonderful and thoughtful attention that they have given to Elaine in the time that she has been suffering with her illness. Elaine in her prime would have been so proud and appreciative of their care.
Elaine was a very bright person who cared deeply about her work and was a great help to my brother Stanwyn. In the last couple years of his life he was incapacitated with Parkinsons, and she was there for him every step of the way. She was a true helpmate to him and his work.
When my sons, Greg & Terry were little, they would visit them in Washington DC and Stanwyn & Elaine took them on sightseeing trips in DC to museums. We lived in Baltimore at that time and we enjoyed trips back and forth and their visiting with us in Baltimore. Elaine was especially great in her explanation of the places they visited.
Elaine had an unusal laugh and I can hear her laughing we always had a good time with her and Stanwyn when we got togeher. Really good memories and I miss Elaine as I remembered before the onset of her final illness. I will miss her. Much love, Maretta Hostetler & David Towers
I hold so many wonderful memories of times spent with my dear sister-in-law, Elaine. She was a amazing cook and John and I LOVED her fruitcake! We never even liked fruitcake until we ate her homemade one the first time! After that we couldn't wait to eat the ones she made. She had a good sense of humor and I loved being with her. Their son, Stephen and our son, Zane are only a few months apart and we had fun doing things together so they could be together as well as our whole families. I could write a book on all the wonderful times spent with her and their family. She will be missed so much! I am consoled knowing she is with the Lord as she was a faithful follower of Jesus Christ and we will meet again along with her husband/my brother Stanwyn, for eternity. What a glorious day that will be!
Two memories standout of my aunt Elaine. One as host and tour guide and the other was her laughter. On two visits to D.C. she looked out for me and was the consummate tour guide. The first time for my sister and I while we were still young and in and school, and the second time when in my early 20's . It was her attention to detail and effort of ensuring a good experience. The second was seeing humor in as such a time as she wondered whether two highly educated bird lovers (her and her husband Stanwyn) were able to effectively guide us through a forest trail with their nose's in a book. I wonder if their appreciation for nature was lost on all of us at the time.
Have Joy
David Retberg
Suwanee, GA
