Lee Noble Feuerhelm

Lee N. Feuerhelm, 73, of Lansing, IA, died Wednesday, April 17, 2013, at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, WI. A celebration of life will be held Friday, April 19th, at 11:00 AM at United Methodist Church in Lansing, IA, with Pastor Kevin Smith officiating. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon, IA. Friends may call from 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM Thursday at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon.

Lee Noble Feuerhelm was born February 4, 1940 on a farm in the Mays Prairie area of rural Lansing, IA. His parents were Herbert N. and Ruth Ann (Layer) Feuerhelm. Lee was baptized with his brother at the Elkader Evangelical Church. He attended the rural Mays Prairie School and later graduated from Lansing High School in 1958. On June 7, 1959 he married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Ann Gaunitz, at the EUB Church in Lansing. Lee started out farming with his dad and then continued on his own in the Mays Prairie and Lansing areas for the rest of his life. He milked and maintained a dairy herd and raised pigs, beef cattle, and grain. After his knees failed and he had to quit farming, he helped his son-in-law, Craig Fee, at his welding shop in Waukon.

Lee was active in his community. In his early years he won awards as an outstanding young farmer. He was a long-time member and former trustee of the United Methodist Church where he also sang in the choir; and as president of the Kee High Booster Club, Lee was instrumental in bringing football to Lansing in 1981. Music was a big part of Lee's life. He enjoyed dancing and loved to sing harmony, whether with the family, at church, or with the Little Switzerland of Iowa Harmonizers, a barbershop group he belonged to. As of late, he had greatly improved his piano playing. An avid sports fan and participant all of his life, Lee pitched a lot of softball and played in co-ed volleyball and bowling leagues; he was a diehard Packer and Boston Celtics fan. He also enjoyed events with the Little Switzerland Snowmobile Club, going to garage sales and flea markets, collecting antiques, an occasional riverboat casino stop, and making things in his woodworking shop. His favorite times were spent with family, following the activities of his kids and grandkids or attending one of the frequent family gatherings.

Survivors include his wife Ruth of Lansing; 3 children: Terry (Brian) LaRue of Decorah, IA, Lori (Tony) Darling of New Albin, IA, and Brian (Liz) Feuerhelm of Lansing; 13 grandchildren: Nathan (Nikki) Darling, Dustin (Anna) Darling, Christopher Fee, Heather (Drew Bernatz) Fee, Blake Feuerhelm, Derek Whittle, Austin Feuerhelm, Matthew Whittle, Kaylee (Hunter Fink) Darling, Brett LaRue, Hannah Feuerhelm, Kimi LaRue, and Jenny (Jon) Rahlf; 9 great-grandchildren: Caleb Colsch, Jackson and Gabrielle Darling, Jon, Lane and Gracie Rahlf, Jay Nissen, Mason Darling, and Landon Baker; a brother, Lynn Feuerhelm of Lansing; brothers and sisters-in-law: Dick and Iva Gaunitz of Lansing and Em and Donna Gaunitz of Owatonna, MN; and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Herbert and Ruth Feuerhelm; his son-in-law, Craig Fee; his granddaughter, Breanne Darling; his mother and father-in-law, Emmett and Martha Gaunitz; and his brother and sister-in-law, Zane and Bonnie Thorpe.