Obit: Peissig, Donald C. “Don” (1930 - 2022)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Peissig, Enders, Geiger, Hix, Krueger, Ertl, Badger, Marty, Sangster, Thorne, Tierney

----Source: Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home (Owen, Clark Co., WI) 11/08/2022

Peissig, Donald C. “Don” (8 Apri9l 1930 – 5 November 2022)

Donald “Don” C. Peissig, 92, of Dorchester, passed away Saturday November 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 and continued his education after high school, 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 two decades as a milk hauler for Pleasant View Dairy, picking up cans of milk from area farmers for the cheese plant. Don continued to live and work on the farm long after selling it to his son, 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 and Finance Committee 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 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 everyone needs 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 few well-deserved vacations.

Don and Margaret were 4-H 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 to his community by committing time to serving on more than a dozen boards and community and church 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 60 years.

Don is 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, Mark (Terri) Peissig, Dorchester.

Don is also survived by twenty-two grandchildren; Jake, Jedd, Grant, Evan, Eric, Josh, Emily, Tim, and Logan Peissig; Andy, Alison, Payton, Beau, and Max Ertl; Kelly Badger, Kyle Krueger, Cortney Lupp, Anna Marty, Natalie Sangster, Whitney Thome, and Katelyn Tierney. Twenty-five great grandchildren also survive.

A Celebration of Don’s Life will be held on Sunday November 13, 2022, at Dorchester Memorial Hall from 1 to 5 p.m. “A Sharing of Don Stories and Memories Program” will begin at 1:30 p.m. Food and refreshments will be served following the program. Everyone is 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 mass for Don’s large family will be held at St. Louis Catholic Church in Dorchester at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials in Don’s name be made to Donald Peissig Memorial to support a project to be named at a future date.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Donald, please visit our floral store.