Arthur C. Kieler

Arthur C. “Artie” Kieler, 83, of Kieler, Wisconsin, died Tuesday, March 9, 2010, at Grant Regional Health Center in Lancaster. Services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 13, 2010, at Immaculate Conception Church in Kieler with Rev. Bernard Rott officiating. Burial will be at a later date. Friends may call from 3-8 p.m. Friday at Immaculate Conception Parish Center in Kieler where the parish wake service will be at 2:45 p.m. Friends may also call from 9:00-10:15 a.m. at the parish center before the service on Saturday. Casey Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Cuba City is in charge of arrangements. Arthur was born on February 20, 1927, the son of Arthur C. and Elizabeth (Loeffelholz) Kieler, on his father’s dairy farm in Paris Township two miles northwest of Kieler. He married Kathleen “Katie” Havertape on September 4, 1947 at St. Joseph's Church in Sinsinawa, WI. They farmed all their lives until their retirement from farming in 1986. They moved to 1535 Fredrick Street, rural Hazel Green, Wisconsin, in the Pascal Skemp Subdivision near Bluff Road. Arthur was an outstanding crop farmer who raised corn, alfalfa, oats and wheat. He was a progressive dairy farmer who made continuous improvements to enhance the production of milk from his dairy herd. Arthur was a “steward” of the land. He worked with the Conservation Commission to improve water erosion by building dams, grassy waterways and detention ponds. Arthur was also named the outstanding “Soil Conservationist” in 1976 for Grant County, Wisconsin. He was a frontrunner in establishing contour (strip) farming in Grant County. When Arthur moved to rural Hazel Green, he became a master gardener, planted fruit and pine trees, made wine, and built numerous purple martin houses. He enjoyed working outdoors, especially in his garden and orchard. Arthur referred to his place along the river as “heaven.” Arthur enjoyed fishing from the “barge”, and his view of the Mississippi River and Lock & Dam. Additionally, Arthur enjoyed the large variety of ducks, geese, bald eagles and all the other wildlife that inhabited the Mississippi River. Other favorite activities were trips to Door County, ice fishing, snagging salmon, and fishing from chartered boats for lake trout. He enjoyed deer hunting and made many deer hunting trips to Black River Falls, Wisconsin. Arthur was the best dad in the world and was loved dearly by his family. Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Katie; six sons and four daughters, Tom (Ruth), of Platteville, Ken (Martha) of Hazel Green, Connie Dolan, of Hinsdale, IL, Sandy (Denny) Todhunter, of Chico, CA, Nicholas (Theresa), of Burlington, IA, Darrell, of Memphis, TN, Michele (Richard) Thomas, of Asbury, IA, Lisa (Jim) Rindy, of Elk River, MN, Glen (Gloria) of Temecula, CA, and Chris, of Hazel Green; a sister, Sister Genesia, of Milwaukee; 29 grandchildren; and 36 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father, Arthur Sr., in 1929; his mother, Elizabeth, in 1980; an infant daughter, Mary Ellen; an infant great-granddaughter, Garrett Ubersox; two brothers, Lester Kieler and Gene Ginter; and two sisters, Irene (Donald) Kowalski and Orpha (Francis) Schneider. Katie and her family would like to thank the Orchard Manor Nursing Home Staff and the Lancaster Hospital for the wonderful care given to Arthur. In lieu of flowers an Arthur C. Kieler Memorial Fund has been established.