Sherri Motl

Sherri A. Motl 60, of Fort Dodge passed away Thursday April 7, 2022 at Trinity Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Wednesday April 13, 2022 at Saint Paul Lutheran Church. Burial will follow in North Lawn Cemetery. A visitation will be 4:00 to 7:00 PM Tuesday at Laufersweiler Funeral Home. Sherri Ann Porter was born into God's love on November 25, 1961 in Fort Dodge, lowa to Gloria Jean (Ludwig) Porter and Charles Wesley Porter. God our Father granted her rebirth on August 29, 1967 at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church through the rite of Holy Baptism. She was so very blessed to remember her baptism in all her senses and in all her days. This was confirmed on June 6, 1976 upon her Confirmation at the same church. Her father insisted she attend the Lutheran school at St. Paul's, and her parents did send her there, and she graduated from eighth grade at the St. Paul Lutheran School in 1976. Upon this, she attended the Fort Dodge Public Schools, graduating from Fort Dodge Senior High School in 1980. She was a National Merit Finalist Scholarship winner, won other scholarships, was a National Honor Society Member, and was active in several sports through...[more]

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high school. In 1985, Sherri graduated from the University of lowa with a Bachelor's degree in Education, specializing in reading. Her work life began early at the age of eleven - when she joined the Pioneer detasseling crews even though the legal age for the work was fourteen - when an older cousin wanted to work but not alone. The cousin quit after just a few days, but Sherri stuck with the job and worked for the company (indeed, the same crew) for five years. As the years passed, walking beans was added to the daily summer field jobs; from corn field to bean field to the softball field for practice/games each day every summer. Then once she turned sixteen, the neighbor who observed all this offered her a job at Woolworth's. This salesclerk job turned into several promotions as Sherri worked through high school and college as a Department Head and then Section Merchandiser. Substitute teaching for the Spring Semester after graduation, Sherri was hired as a Lead Teacher of 4/5 year old's and 3-year old's at the Mount Vernon Community Preschool in Mount Vernon, lowa. This was a job she loved, and though only required to work part-time she devoted many more hours to it. This preschool always had a place in her heart, as did the principles it held dear. When she and her husband Tim moved back to Fort Dodge, one of the hardest things she did was saying goodbye to the staff at this job, and its role in the community. Often Sherri took part-time and second jobs as needed throughout her life. Thus, her work experience was varied and certainly not limited to what is contained here. Proofreader, newspaper motor carrier, parking lot cleaner. waitress, front desk clerk, interim director (multiple occasions), extra kitchen help on occasion... Done while working her regular jobs or in the summers while teaching. In Fort Dodge her full-time jobs included: Preschool Director/Teacher at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church (1991-1997), Administrator and Preschool Teacher at Two-by-Two Christian Daycare & Preschool (1997-1998), Operator 3 at United States Gypsum (1998-2001), Grade Ill Finishing Worker at Fort Dodge Animal Health (2001-2002), and Correctional Officer at Fort Dodge Correctional Facility (2003-2009). Her work at FDCF ended due to her health, specifically Ankylosing Spondylitis (an incurable inflammatory arthritis) and multiple complications. All her work experiences were valuable, and she felt she learned something every day. Learning was extremely important to her and she felt everyone should have opportunities to learn, and make the most of the opportunities they are given. Some of the best opportunities Sherri had were in the volunteer activities she was blessed to take part in before her health began to limit her physical abilities. She was a certified EMT-A, then became an EMT-I, finally a certified EMT-Paramedic (she loved it so much) as part of the Lisbon-Mount Vernon Ambulance Service. As part of the LMVAS, she was elected Assistant Chief and Chairman of Personnel; and was also an American Heart Association CPR Instructor Trainer. Sherri was also a member of the Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation Commission as the Secretary. Other Mount Vernon volunteer activities included school bond issues, working on the re-election of a U.S. Senator, and starting a neighborhood watch. Church activities included: Sunday School teacher, Director of the Board of Stewardship, member of the Board of Christian Growth, first Vice President and President of the Women of St. Paul Lutheran Women's Missionary League (LWML), Young Woman Representative to District LWML Convention, Zone LWML Vice President/Mission Service Chairman, Zone Delegate to International LWML Convention, Vacation Bible School Teacher, retreat committee member for multiple years and chairman of the committee, Library Committee member, Director of the Board of Public Relations, Parish Administrative Council member for multiple terms, Cook -n' Cherubs mission group member, and Zone LWML President. But work and activities pale when compared to one of the greatest gifts God gave Sherri, her husband Tim. They met near the end of their sophomore year in high school in 1978 and became what most like to call "high school sweethearts". Dating on and off of 5 and a half years, they married on September 24, 1983. (He was just lucky she didn't know the Huskers made him late to the wedding!) And so, the Husker-Hawkeye debate went on and on. Together they shared both good times and bad, as most couples do. but God blessed them with love, contentment, and patience! She loved his cooking, and he loved her passion of the outdoors and nature. They loved to read books, go fishing, bird watching, nature, outdoor activities, parks, hiking, watching sunsets/sunrises, gourmet meals, learning, the world around them (and seeing God in it), deep discussions on many topics, and more. A favorite joy was spending time with their dogs. Her hobbies included knitting, counted cross stitch, and crocheting. She has even made a few quilts before the arthritis advanced. Sherri is survived by her dearly beloved husband Tim Motl; her father Arnold Gregerson; and her dearly loved dogs, Big Jake and "John T." Chance. Her biological father preceded her to Heaven when she was a child, and she was blessed with another father upon her mother's marriage to Arnold. Sherri was also preceded in death by her mother Gloria Gregerson, grandmothers Dorothy Ludwig and Goldie Gregerson, uncles Robert and David Ludwig, sister-in-law Kim Motl and brother-in-law Terry Condon. Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family.