Sharon Scheib

SHARON SCHEIB Iowa City Sharon Engstrom Scheib, 70, of Iowa City, passed away peacefully at her home following a three-year battle with lung cancer on Sunday, March 15, 2015. A memorial reception will be Thursday, March 19, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Lensing's Oak Hill, 210 Holiday Rd., Coralville. Committal services will be 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, at Oakland Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Iowa City Hospice or the Sharon Scheib Professional Writing Initiative via the University of Iowa Foundation. Sharon was raised in Smethport, Pa., the daughter and only child of Everett and Evelyn (Carter) Engstom, and graduated valedictorian of her high school class. She was an Alden scholar at Allegheny College, earning a B.A. in English. She attended Temple University in Philadelphia for graduate work where she met her future husband, James. Sharon and James were married in 1967 in Smethport, Pa. She was a devoted mother to two sons, Chris and Eric, and a loving grandmother to her two grandsons, Matthew and Jacob. She enjoyed visits from her grandsons nearly every summer. They looked forward to those visits as well and became great fans of Iowa. Once an English teacher, always an English teacher. Sharon taught English at Neshaminy school district in Langhorne, Pa., Hatboro-Horsham school district in Horsham, Pa., and English and gifted education at College Community schools in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In 1983, Sharon became an administrative secretary for the University of Iowa Foundation in Iowa City. From 1984 to 2004, she was director of communi-cations and external relations for the Henry B. Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa. In 2007, she served as special assistant to the University of Iowa Presidential Search Committee. Because of her adherence to good grammar and English in all her dealings and publications, Sharon became a model of communication skills. A writing initiative scholarship has been created in her name for the graduate program of the Henry B. Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa. Sharon was an avid birder and member of the Iowa City Bird Club. This hobby influenced her travels and resulted in birding trips around the United States and to Sweden, Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, twice to Mexico and twice to Alaska. Her favorite U.S. birding location was southeast Arizona. A pet lover, Sharon took in 11 stray cats despite being allergic to them, but only found homes for five, leaving six at home with her family, in addition to two dogs. She served on the MICCIO board, evaluating and funding grant proposals for Iowa animal shelters. Sharon belonged to several local book clubs, helped arrange the annual holiday meal for the Swedish club, and worked on events for volunteers of Iowa City Hospice. Other memberships included PEO, the Nineteenth Century Club and the University Club. Survivors include her husband James of Iowa City; two sons, Christopher (Jennifer) Scheib of Pittsburgh and Eric (Sara) Scheib of North Liberty; two grandsons, Matthew Scheib and Jacob Scheib; and two cousins, Paul (Sally) Zink of Evanston, Ill., and Janet (William) Ross of Lititz, Pa. Sharon was preceded in death by her parents. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.lensingfuneral.com.