O bituaries
Paid obituary 128701
Donald (Don) C. Peissig, 92, of Dorchester, passed away Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, at his home surrounded by his family with support from St. Croix Hospice.
Donald was born April 8, 1930, in Medford, son of the late Albert and Christine (Enders) Peissig. Don graduated from Dorchester High School in 1948. He continued his education by attending the University of Wisconsin College of Agriculture Short Course in Madison for two years, graduating in 1949.
Don married his high school sweetheart, Margaret Mary Geiger, on June 13, 1951. He farmed for the first seven years with his father, Albert, in the Town of Little Black. In 1958, Don and Margaret bought a farm west of Dorchester from Margaret’s father, Michael Geiger. Together, Don and Margaret worked hard to build a thriving dairy farm while raising eight children. Don also worked a side job for twenty years hauling milk cans for Pleasant View Dairy. Don continued to live and work on the farm long after selling it to his son Tom, and later to his grandson Jake, doing chores, mowing lawn, and “snoopervising” operations until his death.
Don had four priorities in life: his faith, the farm, his family, and giving back generously to his community. He was a life-long member of Saint Louis Catholic Church of Dorchester, where he served as a lector, communion minister, usher, and member of the Parish Council for forty years. After his retirement from milking cows, Don mowed the parish grounds, and helped his wife Margaret decorate and clean the church. Don attended daily mass until age 91 when his health prevented him from driving.
Don loved farming. He looked forward to each season, whether planting or harvesting, and took pride in his dairy herd and swine operation. He drove his beloved 1953 International Harvester pickup for most of his farm life, making trips to town so often that people recognized him as “the guy with the old red truck.” He unloaded two ton of feed, in forty-pound bags, twice a week until age 88 “because you should always have a purpose.” He was grateful for being able to raise his big family, pay his bills, and have enough left over to support his church, his children’s educations, and a few well-deserved vacations with Margaret.
Don and Margaret were 4H club leaders and encouraged their children to be active participants, including showing cattle and hogs at the Taylor County Youth Fair. One year, Don made twenty-seven trips with his old truck and trailer to haul cattle, hogs, and fair exhibits to Medford. He never complained about all the trips because he said “4-H was a great way to learn responsibility and leadership.”
Don was an avid fan of all his children and grandchildren’s school and sporting events. He followed high school football and wrestling for 50 years, including state championship football games and wrestling tournaments, as well as Wisconsin Badger Wrestling. Don believed that it was important to “give back” by serving on more than a dozen community boards and committees. He especially enjoyed serving on the Taylor County Electric Co-op Board, the Dorchester Days Tractor Pull Committee, the Dorchester Park Board, and the Dorchester State Bank Board. Don lost his beloved wife, Margaret Mary, on May 10, 2010, one month short of celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. Don is lovingly survived by his eight children: Donna (Fred) Hix, Tennessee, Tom (Peggy) Peissig, Dorchester, Mary (Allen) Krueger, Mosinee, Susan (Mike) Ertl, Mercer, Jeff (Julie) Peissig, Menomonie, Gene (Joan) Peissig, Abbotsford, Ann (Pat) Ertl, Hazelhurst and Mark (Terri) Peissig, Dorchester. Don has three surviving siblings: Helen Ludwig, Dorchester, Marion Braun, Athens and Allan (Cathy) Peissig, Stetsonville.
Don loved his twenty-two grandchildren and their partners; Jake (Tolea) Peissig, Andy (Nicole) Ertl, Cortney (Brandon) Lupp, Kelly (Jonathon) Badger, Natalie (Tyler) Sangster, Kyle (Rachel) Krueger, Alison (Tyler) Madigan, Grant (Kasey) Peissig, Josh Peissig, Evan (Kayla) Peissig, Whitney (Pete) Thome, Katelyn (Brian) Tierney, Jedd (Megan) Peissig, Anna (Phil) Marty, Emily (Travis) Peissig, Eric (Jacki) Peissig, Zach (Megan) Peissig, Tim Peissig, Logan (Mya) Peissig, Payton, Beau and Max Ertl. Don was able to celebrate the births of twenty-five great-grandchildren and looked forward to three more on the way.
A celebration of Don’s life will be held on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022, at Dorchester Memorial Hall from 1 to 5 p.m. Family and friends are welcome to attend. “A Sharing of Don Stories and Memories Program” will begin at 1:30 p.m. Food and refreshments will follow. Guests are encouraged to share a memory of Don at the program or by bringing a written memory to share with the family at the event.
A private funeral mass will be held for Don’s immediate family at St. Louis Catholic Church on Monday, Nov. 14, 2022.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials in honor of Don’s name be designated to the Donald Peissig Memorial to support a project to be named at a future date.
The Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home of Abbotsford is entrusted with the arrangements. Friends may send online condolences to www.maurinaschilling. com.
