Lester Stephanie

LESTER H. STEPHANIE

Fond du Lac, Wis.

Lester H. Stephanie, 79, of Fond du Lac, Wis., passed away Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, at St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac with his four children by his side.

He was born April 9, 1941, in the town of Marshfield near St. Joe to Norbert and Angela (Koenigs) Stephanie. Lester attended St. Joseph Grade School and graduated from St. Mary's Springs High School in 1960. He was in the Capuchin Order as a Brother from 1960 to 1965. He joined the National Guard in 1965 and served until 1971.

On May 6, 1967, he married Elizabeth "Betty" Buechel at St. Peter Catholic Church in Malone, Wis. She preceded him in death on May 12, 2004.

Lester had worked at the former Tecumseh Engine Products in New Holstein for 32 years until his retirement. After retiring, he volunteered for many organizations, including Meals on Wheels and various food pantries. He was very proud of his accomplishment with donating blood to the Red Cross blood drives. Lester was very active in the Catholic church as an usher and communion distributor.

Survivors include his four children, Gerard Stephanie of Oshkosh, Barbara Lemke of Sussex, Thomas (Kim) Stephanie of Washington, Iowa, and Colleen (Mitch) Posthuma of North Fond du Lac; his grandchildren, Brittany Stephanie, David Stephanie, Keith Stephanie, Brandon Stephanie, Joshua Stephanie, Anna Lemke, Kylee Posthuma, Tiffany Stephanie, Olivia Stephanie and Abigale Lemke; his stepgrandson, Benjamin Houser; his sisters, Lydia (Kenneth) Turba of St. Anna, Julianna (Richard) Ruffing of New Holstein, Valeria (Lawrence) Kempf of St. Anna, Kathleen Wagner of Mount Calvary, and Ann (Art) Hage of Appleton; and his sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, David Winkler of St. Cloud, Joan (Donald) Steffes of St. Cloud, Diane (Donald) Abler of Glenbeulah, Allen (Betty) Buechel of Malone, Joyce (Ronald) VerHaagh of Fond du Lac, Janet Buechel of Fond du Lac and Jack Steffen of St. Cloud. He is further survived by many nieces; nephews and other relatives and friends.

Preceding Lester in death were his parents, Norbert and Angela Stephanie; his wife, Elizabeth "Betty"; his daughter-in-law, Tina Stephanie; his sister, Adeline Winkler; his brother, Stanley Stephanie; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Herman Sr. and Ludvina Buechel; and his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Paul Wagner, Teresa Steffen, Herman Jr. Buechel and Marilyn (Roger) Schneider.

Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 4, at Holy Family Catholic Church, 271 Fourth Street Way, Fond du Lac, WI 54935. Inurnment will take place at the Shrine of Rest Chapel Mausoleum at Ledgeview Memorial Park Cemetery in Fond du Lac. Military rites will take place at the church following the Mass. Family and friends may visit with Lester's family from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Monday at the church. The family is requesting visitors to mingle at the visitation. There will be no formal receiving line. If unable to attend, you may view the service via livestream at facebook.com/HolyFamilyFdL.

If wishing to send a sympathy card to the family, please mail them to: Family of Lester Stephanie, C/O W264 N6539 Hillview Drive, Sussex, WI 53089.

For further details, please contact the Sippel Funeral Home in St. Cloud (920) 999-2291 or visit www.sippelfuneralhome.net.