Joseph Clair Moellers

Tuesday, September 5, 2017 2:38 pm

Joseph Clair Moellers, 65, of Castalia died unexpectedly Saturday evening, Sept. 2, 2017, at his residence. Visitation is from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, at the Zion Lutheran Church in Castalia and one hour before services at the church Friday. Funeral services are at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 8, at Zion Lutheran Church in Castalia. The Rev. Alan Wicks will preside at the service. The Schmitz-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Ossian is assisting the family.

He was born July 16, 1952, in Decorah. He was the son of Clair and Dorothy Franzen, Moellers. He received his education at St. Mary’s School in Festina, St. Francis De Sales School in Ossian and South Winneshiek High School, graduating with the class of 1970. He married Kristine Johnson Oct. 19, 1974, in Cedar Rapids. To this union two children were born, Wendy and Michael. They were later divorced. He was united in marriage to Monika Pless April 8, 1989, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. To this union, Joe welcomed her three children, and they became a family.

Joe started helping on his family farm and with the family business at a young age. After high school, Joe started working construction with Hageman-Moellers Construction Company for Suncrest Homes in Cedar Rapids. Realizing he had missed the love of the farm, he returned to farming in 1974. In 1988 he started work for Camcar – Textron in Decorah as a tool and die maker (now known as Stanley Black & Decker). He continued to farm and work at the factory until they moved to Castalia in 1993. Having just his factory shift, Joe decided to attain his CDL and drove truck part time for AgriProcessors. He drove truck from 1999-2004. Joe was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Castalia, served on the Castalia Fire Department, and was a city council member. When not busy with work, he enjoyed deer hunting, chatting with people, fishing at the pond, playing cards, gardening, and being at the family farm. Above all, he loved spending time with his family. He had an amazing work ethic, possessed a strong moral character and an exceptional, loving personality.

He is survived by his wife, Monika, of Castalia; children: Wendy (Keith) Huinker of Festina, Michael (Jamie) Moellers of Ankeny, Andrea (Chad) Breitsprecher of Ft. Atkinson, Christopher (Sara) Snyder of Dorchester, Tracy (Erin) Hopper of Romeo, Mich.; 15 grandchildren: Ashley, Cooper, Kinley, Madilyn, Marshall, Blake, Lane, Logan, Austin, Bronwyn, Kaitlyn, Quinn, Tristen, Morgan and Mackenzie; six great-grandchildren; two brothers, Gary (Judy) Moellers of Ossian, Dan (Janelle) Moellers of Marshalltown and two sisters, Mary (Quentin) Quandahl of Ossian, Ruth Skrukrud of Ft. Atkinson; brother and sisters-in-law: Rosemarie (Harvey) Deerfield of Cleveland, Ohio, Christa Erbert, Werner Pless, Peter (Pilli) Pless, Wolfgang (Andrea) Pless and Barbara Pless (Mario Brandstatter) all of Germany; as well as many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, David; his daughter-in-law, Carrie Snyder; his mother and father-in-law, Kurt and Ida Pless; and a brother-in-law, Herbert Pless.