Micki Connor

Micki Connor, 83, passed away to her Heavenly home on December 4, 2021, surrounded by her loving family. A funeral mass will be held on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, at 11 am at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. John Moser, Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg and Fr. Mark Osterhaus as Concelebrants. A viewing will be held at the church beginning at 9:30 am. Masks required. Burial will follow at Gethsemane Cemetery in Lansing. Please join the family Wednesday, at 11:00 am via live stream on Martin - Grau Funeral Home Facebook page.

Micki was born Maxine Josephine Stirn on June 23, 1938, at Saint Ann's Maternity Hospital in La Crosse, Wisconsin, to Leo and Mildred "Milli" (Gerkey) Stirn. Micki grew up in Lansing, Iowa and was baptized and confirmed at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. The family lived in Lansing until duty called during WWII, whereupon the Stirn family moved to Camp McCoy in Wisconsin. Her parents worked as civilians on the Army Installation to help the war effort. Micki and family enjoyed 6 ½ happy years living in a cabin on the base.

In May 1947, the Stirns moved back to Lansing where Micki loved boating and skiing on the Mississippi River, playing on Mount Hosmer and enjoying her friends. She attended Immaculate Conception Catholic School, where she played basketball, was a cheerleader, acted in school plays, sang in the choir and graduated at the top of her class in 1956. She then attended St. Francis School of Nursing in La Crosse and graduated in 1960, becoming a Registered Nurse.

Micki married her high school sweetheart, James P. Connor, on September 19, 1960, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church after years of courting in which they enjoyed going to hear big bands and dancing at every opportunity. The couple lived in Florida, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri and Illinois, where Micki was an RN in hospitals and ERs, before returning to Iowa and settling in Waukon, where they raised their daughters. In Waukon, Micki worked at Northgate Care Center for 27 years where she was the Director of Nurses, an advocate for the elderly and mentor to many fellow nurses and staff. She and Jim also owned the Opera House in Waukon where they held wedding dances and ran a roller skating rink to provide a fun activity for local children.

Micki was a lifelong Democrat, an active member of St. Patrick Catholic Church with a devout faith, a former Jayceette and belonged to several bridge clubs. She was an avid reader and loved to travel, especially to Maui, California and New York. She was also a huge sports fan, particularly of the Cubs, Packers, Hawkeyes and her grandchildren's teams from little leagues to collegiate sports. Micki was very social with a great sense of humor and positive personality, enjoying Saturday morning coffee with friends, swinging on her porch swing with many visitors and countless gatherings with her large extended family.

Known as Nana to her 10 grandchildren, six great-grandsons, as well as many others, Micki was a nurturer and beyond loved by her family. A devoted wife, after years of travel and happiness with her husband Jim, Micki helped him through his battle with Parkinson's, visiting him twice a day at Northgate. A doting daughter and granddaughter, she also took care of both her parents and Gramma Josie Gerkey at the end of their lives.

Micki was preceded in death by her beloved husband Jim, her parents, sister Lee Ann Cooper, paternal grandparents John and Josephine (Ringenbach) Stirn, maternal grandparents Josephine "Josie" (Colsch) Goeke Gerkey, Paul Goeke and step-grandfather Francis Gerkey, in-laws Miles "Mike" and Virginia "Tiny" (Peyton) Connor, sisters-in-law Carole Ann (Tom) Mooney and Roseanne Connor, brother-in-law Bob Connor, special Aunt Arleen (Bob) Dolnick and nephew Kyle Sullivan.

Micki is survived by her devoted family: her three daughters Kealy (Greg) Lonning, Kerry (Ray) Wacker, Kathy Connor (Andy Hirsch); 10 grandchildren Carlyn (Nick) Lechtenberg, Connor Lonning (Angie Williamson), Peyton (Joey) Lapel, Mara Connor, Moran Lonning (Alex Weber), Mullen (Seth) Beisker, Gable Lonning (Betty Borreby Maibøll), Gara Lonning, Summer Lonning, Shanae Lonning; six great-grandsons Stirn and Teff Lechtenberg, Cavan and Nels Lapel, Griffin and Hugh Beisker; five siblings Gary (Pat) Stirn, Cathy (Dick) Sullivan, Jan (Keith) Lenz, Greg (Sue) Stirn, Lori Stirn (Sarah Lussman), brother-in-law Leo Cooper, as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Micki will be laid to rest along with cremains of her beloved husband Jim, between the graves of both their parents, at Gethsemane Cemetery in Lansing.

Memorials can be made in Micki's honor to Robey Memorial Library Foundation.