Jane Beseler

Our Angel on earth is now an Angel in heaven. Jane Marie Smerud-Beseler passed away suddenly, unexpectedly at St. Francis/Mayo Health System on Saturday, February 24, 2024, age 68. Memorial services will be held Thursday, February 29th, at 11:00 AM at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in New Albin, IA, with Fr. Joseph Sevcik officiating. Burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery, New Albin. Friends may greet the family from 9:30 AM until the time of services Thursday, at the church.

She was born on July 1, 1955, at St. Francis Hospital in La Crosse, WI, the youngest daughter of Alfred J. and Lorna (Darling) Smerud of New Albin, IA. She attended school in New Albin until the family moved to La Crosse in 1966, when she attended and graduated from Aquinas High School with the Class of 1973.

Following high school Jane studied industrial engineering at Milwaukee School of Engineering. She also held an associate degree in finance from Western Technical College. She later worked at the La Crosse Montessori School as a teacher aid. Most recently and before retiring she was the Executive Director at the La Crosse County Historical Society.

In 1979, she married Frederick W. Beseler. They raised three sons in La Crosse – William Frederick, Alfred Vernon, and Steven James. In 2019, after Jane and Frederick retired, they moved to Houston, MN, where she made many new friends. Jane and Frederick enjoyed antiquing, occasional trips to a casino, and relaxing on their front porch on Cass Street in La Crosse and later in Houston. Jane seldom missed one of the boys' many baseball games. They were her focus and reason for being. Jane thoroughly enjoyed her late nights reading in bed, plowing through numerous novels every week. She was horrified if she inadvertently had an overdue library book.

She especially enjoyed all her friends in "play group" --a group of moms who began gathering in 1990, or so with their young children out at St. Pius gymnasium. The moms visited while the kids played. Their friendships strengthened over the years and play group survives yet today. The kids have all grown to adulthood, but the play group parents, including the men, continue to gather occasionally at local restaurants. Jane Marie was planning and looking forward to hosting another "porch party" this spring.

Jane Marie is survived by her mother Lorna Smerud, husband Frederick William; their three sons: son William (Summer) of La Crosse, Alfred and partner Andrea Reischel of Menomonie, and Steven and partner Carly Frerichs of La Crescent; two grandsons: Frederick and Jackson. She is also survived by two sisters: Susan (Carl) Salek of Westby and Trudy Smerud Infelise of Minneapolis; three nephews: Jess Salek and partner Randy Cornell of Madison, Jacob Salek of Westby, and Sam (Georgianna) Smerud of Minneapolis; four nieces Stephanie (Ray) Opstad of Minneapolis, Gina (Mark) Snell of St. Paul, and Jen (Lauren)Myrick, Austin, Texas; and her furry granddaughter Puggy Sue. Jane Marie was preceded in death by her grandparents Clara and Oscar Smerud and Gertrude and Vernon Darling, all of New Albin; her dear father Alfred J. Smerud; a brother Samuel J. Smerud; a and brother-in-law Thomas Infelise.

Jane Marie loved each and every member of her family, and all her friends and acquaintances. When Pastor Mark Carr at St. Francis asked her sons who had gathered around Jane Marie how they would describe their mother, Steven spoke for all, saying, "Fiercely loving."

Thank you to the doctors, nurses, staff and Pastor Carr for their care of Jane Marie in her last hours.

Her family and dear friends will all carry on as Jane Marie wished, carrying her in their hearts forever.