Shelley Hundling, age 73 of Breda, IA, passed away peacefully on Monday, December 4, 2023, at Twilight Acres Nursing Home in Wall Lake, IA. Shelley Rae was born on August 5, 1950, to parents Roland and Sybil (Burt) Simpson in Des Moines, IA. She was baptized and confirmed as a Methodist and after moving to Breda, became a member of the Wheatland Presbyterian Church. She grew up on the east side of Des Moines where she graduated from East High as the Valedictorian of her class in 1968. After graduating high school, she attended Iowa State University in Ames, IA, from which she obtained her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education.
Shelley met her beloved husband, David Carl Hundling, during her time at Iowa State. The two wed the summer after Shelley graduated from college in 1972. Dave was already living on the Air Force base in Little Rock, Arkansas, so Shelley moved there soon after. She and Dave moved back to the Breda, IA, area and joined the Hundling family farming operation in 1974. Over the next several years, they were blessed with their children Gretchen and Brice.
Shelley taught school in the Mount Carmel and Breda schools before having children. Once she and Dave started their family, she opted to substitute teach in order to be home more with the kids. Once they were grown and out of school, Shelley went back to work as a teacher’s associate in Begindergarten at East Sac County Elementary School in Wall Lake, where she remained until retiring when that site closed its doors in 2020. She was quite adored by her students and was known for making each of them their very own Christmas ornament.
Although “Mrs. Hundling” was her title as a teacher for many years, she assisted on the farm alongside her husband throughout their married lives. She was not afraid to dig right in and get her hands dirty, whether it was to unload grain or helping with the pigs. She loved being outside and took great pride in her yard. She enjoyed mowing and tending to her flower beds and birdfeeders.
Shelley was an amazing photographer who loved taking pictures as a hobby. Her father, Roland, owned and operated a photo shop throughout her childhood, so it was only natural that she would eventually pick up a camera. She often entered her photos into county fairs and also used them to make cards and calendars. Our Iowa Magazine featured her photos several times. Most recently, Shelley wrote articles that were accompanied by her photos for The Observer newspaper. Shelley was very musically inclined. She played the piano, was a member of the Carroll Community Chorus for over forty years, and also sang with the Feelin’ Free guitar group, which performed for many community and church events around the Breda area.
Over the years, Dave and Shelley traveled throughout the United States visiting places like Washington DC, Las Vegas, and Southern California. Many weekends, summers, and holidays were spent with the Simpson family at a cabin in Clear Lake, IA, and later on eventually in Lake View, IA, where aunts, uncles, and cousins all gathered. Dave and Shelley also gathered with the Hundling siblings for annual trips to various locales, such as Branson, MO, Ruidoso, NM, Reno, NV, and Warrenton, OR, along the Columbia River to name just a few.
In her free time, Shelley loved baking, working on crossword and Sudoku puzzles, reading, and most of all, spending time with her family. She was a very proud mom and grandma. Her kind, loving, supportive, and creative nature will be so very missed by all who knew and loved her.
Survivors include her husband, Dave Hundling of Breda, IA; children Gretchen Hundling (Stephen Pisani) of Simi Valley, CA, and Brice (Melanie) Hundling of Breda, IA; grandchildren Gabrielle, Wilhelm, Henrik, Luke, and Benjamin Hundling; brother Brad (Angela) Simpson of Ely, NV; sister Roberta (Eric) Simpson-Dolbeare of Nebo, IL; brother-in-law Charles (Marilyn) Hundling of Breda, IA; sisters-in-law Carol Walker of Springfield, OR; Joyce Brooker of Springfield, OR; Marjorie Sherrod of Tyler, TX; Jeanie Henriquez of Eugene, OR; and Phyllis (Paul) Hoeger of Maynard, IA; and many nieces, nephews, other extended family members, and friends.
Shelley was preceded in death by her parents, Roland and Sybil Simpson; infant daughter Wendy Elaine Hundling; parents-in-law Carl and Helen Hundling; and brothers-in-law Lynn Sherrod, Luis Henriquez, John Hammond, Robert Brooker, and Gary Walker.
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS Shelley's family will be dispursing monetary memorials to the following organizations:
East Sac County Wheatland Fund
Ar-We-Va Foundation
Carroll Community Chorus
