A funeral Mass of the Resurrection was held Sept. 12 at St Joseph Catholic Church in Jefferson for M. Joan Tasler, 90, of Jefferson.
Celebrant was the Rev Jeff Schleisman, pastor of the church. Music was provided by soloist Sheilah McGregor Pound and pianist Rick Morain. Honorary bearers were Harry Hagedorn, Patrick Murrane, Joe Thompson, Robert Meinecke, Dave McQuillen, Chuck Hastings, Mike Monthei, Bob Van Gundy, Ed Lawson, Don Goodrich, Luke Shipley, Gordon Van Gundy and Larry Teeples.
Casket bearers were Randy Wittrock, Ryan Tasler, John Podlesak, Duane Frantum, Steve Kohn and Brent Goughnour. Interment was at St Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Jefferson.
Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home assisted the family.
Mary Joan Elizabeth Garland Tasler was born Aug. 27, 1926, at home in Jamaica, IA. Her parents were Katheryn McCleary Garland and Mike Garland. Joan attended school at Jamaica Consolidated School, graduating in 1944.
She attended college at Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa) in Cedar Falls. She graduated from the elementary teaching program in 1947. Joan later graduated from Drake University in 1970 with a bachelor of science degree and an English minor.
On Sept. 30, 1950, Joan was united in marriage to Francis William “Bud” Tasler at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Jefferson. They became the parents of three children: Francis Michael, William Joseph and Regina Jo.
Joan’s teaching career began in 1945. In these early years, she taught in Jamaica from 1945 – 1947, in Bayard from 1947 – 1948, and in Jefferson from 1948 – 1951. She left teaching to be with her husband who was in the United States Army. They lived in Blackstone, VA. Joan returned to teaching school in Jefferson in 1964. She retired in 1988, having taught 30-1/2 years.
Joan was a life member of both the National Education Association and the Iowa State Education Association. She was a former member of the Jefferson-Scranton Community Education Association.
Joan was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and of St. Joseph Guild. She was a volunteer for hospice, and served as a volunteer financial counselor.
Joan and Bud spent several winters in Fort Myers, Florida where they took part in clogging classes and country line dancing. The also did a lot of ballroom dancing. They enjoyed playing bridge.
Joan enjoyed sports! She took part in the Iowa Games, the Iowa Senior Olympics and the Florida Senior Olympics. She enjoyed the basketball free throw shooting and the Around-the-Word shooting (Shootout). She also took part in the bridge games.
Joan Tasler passed away Sept. 7, 2016, at the Kavanagh Hospice House in Des Moines. Preceding her in death were her parents; her daughter Regina Miller; her sister Connie Finley; her brother Cleo Garland; an infant sister; and a sister-in-law, Rosemary Rechtenback.
Survivors include husband, Francis “Bud” Tasler of Jefferson; two sons: Frank (Liz) Tasler of South Bend, IN, and Bill (Tammy) Tasler of Queenstown, MD; sister Rose Thompson of Des Moines; in-laws Bonnie Martin of Carroll, Jack Tasler of Des Moines, Walter “Shorty” Tasler of Jefferson, and Dorothy Davis of Jefferson; and other relatives and friends.
Memorials were suggested St. Joseph Catholic Church or Congregate Meals.
