Obituary of Celester A. Feldmann

RICKARDSVILLE, IOWA

Celester “Les” A. Feldmann, 86 of Rickardsville, Iowa passed away Thursday, December 21, 2023, at Stonehill Care Center, Dubuque, Iowa.

Visitation will be held from 3 - 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 4, 2024, at Kramer Funeral Home, 750 12th Ave SW in Dyersville. Visitation will continue at the church from 9 - 10:15 prior to funeral mass at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Balltown, Iowa.  

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 on Friday, January 5, 2024, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 468 Balltown Rd, Balltown, Iowa with burial at church cemetery in Balltown with Rev. Tyler Raymond officiating.

Les was a loving husband and father. Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Joan; children: John (Kirby) Feldmann of Racine, WI, Lora Feldmann of Eden Prairie, MN, and Linda Feldmann (Dan Kraemer) of Chicago; siblings:  Jerome Feldman of Dyersville, Lavonne (Leander) Burkle of Earlville, Elmer (Dorothy) Feldmann of Hopkinton, Dave (Sandy) Feldmann of Alburnett, Leanna Feldmann of Dyersville, Loras (Mary) Feldmann of Farley, Gerald (Barb) Feldmann of Epworth, Irv Feldmann of Earlville, Tony (Joyce) Feldmann of Earlville, and Dan (Barb) Feldmann of Cedar Rapids; in-laws: Don Schmitt of Holy Cross, John (Connie Beaver) Decker of Sherrill, Larry (Trudy) Decker of Sherrill, Kathy Koch of Farley, Ann (Andy) Baumann of Dubuque; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; parents-in-law, Lawrence and Loretta (Hefel) Decker; sister, Theresa (Leon) Burkle; brother, Floyd (Rita) Feldmann; sister-in-law, Mary Jane Feldman; brother, Paul Feldmann; brother-in-law, Steve Koch, sister-in-law, Janet Schmitt; and Joan’s twin, June Decker in infancy.

Celester was born on November 9, 1937, in Dubuque, Iowa, the son of Isabelle (Jaeger) and Anton Feldmann.  He received his education at Xavier High School in Dyersville, Iowa.  He married Joan M. Decker October 20, 1962, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Balltown, Iowa. Together they farmed near Rickardsville, raising hogs and crops. Les retired from the Experimental Department after 31 years at John Deere.

He was a member of St. Joseph Church, Rickardsville where he was a eucharistic minister, lector, and member of the choir for many years.  He was an active supporter of the Lasalle Catholic School where he enjoyed tutoring math and reading to grade schoolers. 

Les was a conservationist, and enjoyed spending time watching his farm’s forestry project mature into a wildlife habitat and he affectionately called “a little piece of heaven”.  He was passionate about the Right to Life campaign.  All who knew Les thought of him as devoted to his faith, family and loving wife Joan. 

The family would like to thank the staff of Stonehill and Hospice of Dubuque for their compassionate care.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Sherrill Volunteer Fire Department, 5307 S Mound Rd

Sherrill, IA 52073 and Lasalle Catholic School, 835 Church St. PO Box 368, Holy Cross, IA 52053.

Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville is assisting the family and information is available at www.kramerfuneral.com.  Memorials may be sent to the family, (in care of Kramer Funeral Home) 750 12^th Ave SW, Dyersville, IA  52040.