An event that was planned by Sheryl Sueppel went on without her this weekend in Iowa City. Sueppel was killed by her husband last month. Steven Sueppel also took the lives of the couple’s four adopted children, before killing himself in a car crash. Sheryl organized Saturday’s concert by Mrs. Flutterbee, of children’s book fame, at the Iowa Children’s Museum. Sheryl’s oldest son, Ethan, drew the poster for the event.
Mrs. Flutterbee is donating 50 percent of her sales in Johnson County to the Sheryl Sueppel Scholarship Fund. "I just felt such an incredible connection. The email said ‘my 3 and 5 year old can’t wait to meet Mrs. Flutterbee.’ When I re-read the email after I found out what happened, I just wanted to grab them and hold them somehow," Mrs. Flutterbee said.
Sheryl and her family were members of the Iowa Children’s Museum for 10 years. Earlier this year, she started working at another childcare organization called 4-C’s, which sponsored the event. Mrs. Flutterby spoke at 4-C’s before the appearance at the children’s museum, located in the Coral Ridge Mall."I hope there’s many more that come after me that can go and do a keynote, then come over (to the museum) and touch those kids…maybe she started something that will go on forever," Flutterbee said. Until Sheryl came along, the two kid-oriented organizations in Iowa City had never worked together. Now, both organizations are planning another event.