Shelley Ruth Wendt Nagel passed away peacefully at her home in Anchorage, Alaska surrounded by love from her family and friends on Jauary 16, 2022 at 7:35pm. The eagle returned to the nest and the full moon was bright. She was 65. 

Shelley is survived by her children Alissa Nagel Collins, Thomas Nagel, and Patrick Nagel; her partner Mike Swinford; her siblings Nancy Thiex, Patricia Bieber, and Dave Wendt; her grandson Lucas Collins; and her nieces Natalie Thiex, Stephanie Matz, Amanda Bieber, and Chelsea Wendt; and her nephews Christopher Bieber, Travis Thiex, and Dallas Thiex.

Shelley was born in Aberdeen, South Dakota on October 10, 1956, to Atlas Herman Wendt and Verla Jeanne Helgelien. She attended Richland Grade School in her grandfather's field in Mina, SD in Edmunds County, Simmons Junior High School in Aberdeen, and then graduated from Aberdeen Central High School in 1974. She attended South Dakota State University and graduated in 1978 with a degree in Medical Technology.  

Family was central in Shelley's life and in the summer of 1978 she moved to Anchorage, Alaska to be with her siblings who had moved to Anchorage - what an adventure! In the summer of 1979 she went on a trip to Europe - an experience of a lifetime with her friend Carol LaRose. She was married to Charles Nagel on November 26, 1982 and  welcomed her children into the world on April 15, 1984 (Alissa), October 6, 1988 (Thomas), and April 11, 1994 (Patrick). 

Mother Nature called to Shelley where she not only found peace and solace but had joyful times riding her Trek bike, cross-country skiing amongst the birch and cottonwood trees, and taking long walks. She has fond memories in the Badlands of South Dakota and the trails of Kincaid Park in Anchorage. 

At her home bird feeders hung about and her perennial gardens thrived with native species and ornamental trees and shrubs. Geraniums, lobelia, and pansies grew vibrantly out of her barrels every year. During summer she would anxiously await the moment that her favorite perennial would bloom: the Himalayan Blue Poppy. She taught her children to love beauty and showed by example how to nourish and tend to the more-than-human-world of life around her.  

Shelley retired from Providence Hospital after 33 years of service. After formal retirement, Shelley found joy working for Catholic Social Services and helping newly arrived refugees settle into their homes and lives in Anchorage. She went above and beyond as an advocate for them and welcomed them with open arms. She continued to find meaningful work in Alaska's tourism industry with Visit Anchorage. There she volunteered and worked in the main office welcoming visitors to Anchorage and helping them find their joy here. 

When not working you could find Shelley walking the arboretums with Mike in the Seattle-area, going to the zoo with Lucas, doing zumba with her friends, indulging in great meals, enjoying the arts, and soaking in what life had to offer.  

She had a thirst for learning and in her 40's spent lots of time taking French at the University of Alaska Anchorage and traveling to Montreal, Quebec to deepen her skills. In her 50s and 60s she took to Ornithology and was a student of Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Shelley was feisty and full of humor and laughter, had an infatuation of local Alaska politics, and had a fierce vigilance to see her children get educated and see the world. She was a regular blood donor, volunteered at Catholic Social Services packing food boxes during Covid and her cancer treatments, and in her final act of giving she donated 178 pairs of socks to the Brother Francis Shelter. 

Shelley was a beloved mother, companion, sister, aunt, friend, and colleague. She will be greatly missed. Words do not do her life justice. 

And finally in the simple and powerful words of Shelley: 

"We will love again, proud in the face of hatred. We will outshine it."

Shelley's digital memorial service will be held Sunday, 1/30/22 at 3pm AKST.  Please RSVP under the "Events" tab on this site.

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