Connie Schoessler, age 88, of Westside, died Monday, July 29, 2024 at his home surrounded by his family.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1:30 p.m. Friday, August 2, 2024 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Vail. The Celebrant will be Fr. Timothy Schott. Music will be by Irene Feilmeier and the St. Ann’s Choir. Lector and Eucharistic Minister will be Paulette (Schoessler) Spriggs. Gift Bearers will be Ashley Ann Ricke, Courtney Anne Ricke, Torri Lynne Ricke, and Peter Joseph Stodolak. Casket Bearers will be Jay Robert Ricke, Matthew Joseph Ricke, Steven John Ricke, Christopher Conrad Schoessler, Patrick Thomas Schoessler, Alyssa Erin Schoessler Haefner. Burial will be in the Westside Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at St. Ann’s Church in Vail. A Prayer Service will be held at 7 p.m. Visitation will resume from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. Friday. In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to St. Anthony Hospice, or Westside Fire Department.
Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll, and online condolences may be left for Connie’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Clarence Conrad (Connie) Schoessler was born Feb. 6th, 1936, in Carroll, Iowa to parents Arthur Conrad and Edith (Kracht) Schoessler. Connie grew up on the family farm on the edge of Westside, IA homesteaded by his grandfather Henry Schoessler. He was raised with his two brothers, Paul and Clayton. Connie attended Westside school, graduating from Westside High in 1954. He continued working with his father, learning about farming, livestock, and blacksmithing, among other things. Connie loved to do anything with his hands: wiring, fixing, building, or planting trees.
After growing tired of milking cows twice a day, and carrying feed by hand to livestock, Connie decided to do what he always loved, working in the shop. He formed C+D Electric with friend Denny Maasen. They were eventually joined in the business by Connie’s son Rolly, which made Connie very proud. They provided quality electrical work in commercial and residential buildings, large and small jobs, traveling extensively over western Iowa, making friends on every job. Connie retired from the electrical business in 2005, turning the business over to Rolly, who ran Schoessler Electric until July of this year. Rolly then turned the reigns over to his son Patrick, another source of great pride for Connie. The tradition continues.
Connie married Rosalie Powers in 1955 and continued living on the farm, which was his lifetime home. Connie and Rosalie had three children, Mary, Rolly and Julie, but always had a house filled with neighbor kids, friends, kissing cousins, and anyone needing a helping hand or boost. They enjoyed being around younger people, and there are many great stories about parties at the Schoessler farm. Rosalie died suddenly in 1993. Connie’s life took a new direction in 2002, with his marriage to Deanna (Dee) Staiert Ricke on October 11, 2002. He was back to attending high school events and activities for Dee’s sons, Jay, Matt and Steven. He made many new friends and valued the interaction with other parents at football games and wrestling matches.
While Connie may have retired from the electrical business, he did not retire from life. His interests turned to restoring Allis Chalmers tractors. He could dismantle an entire tractor, work on the engine and moving parts, strip, grind, paint, and reassemble, with great patience. Dee and Connie made many road trips going after the next “Allis”. Every auction or private purchase of a tractor had a story about the nice people he came across. Connie was a friend to everyone. Connie’s many years of working with tractors came together under one roof with the building of a tractor museum on his farm, which houses well over 60 farm tractors and garden tractors: a testament to hard work and dedication.
Connie died 88 years young on Monday July 29th on the farm where he was born. Up until June 1st of this year, Connie could be seen mowing his huge yard, digging post holes, repairing fence, working on tractors, cutting down trees, or stacking firewood. He leaves a legacy of hard work, kindness, loyalty, friendship, integrity, and love.
Connie is survived by his wife Dee of Westside, his children Mary (dec. Mark Haefner) of St. Louis Park, MN, Rolly of Westside, and Julie (Peter) Stodolak of Boynton Beach FL; grandchildren: Christopher (Kalie) Schoessler, Des Moines, IA, Patrick (Joanne) Schoessler of Manning, IA, Alyssa Haefner (special friend John) of Minneapolis, MN, and Mia Stodolak of Amherst, OH. Six great-grandchildren: Rollins, Dax, Jack, Charlie, Rhett and Ridge Schoessler. Additional sons are Jay (Courtney) Ricke of Runnells, Matt (Ashley) Ricke of Arcadia, and Steven (Torri) Ricke of Sioux City, Ricke grandchildren: Rogan, Emma, Louis, Joslyn, Bennett, Charlotte and Theodore; his brothers, Paul Schoessler of Lake of the Ozarks, MO, and Clayton Schoessler of Lewisville, TX; in-law’s Dave and Jeanne Staiert of Carroll, and Doug and Linda Staiert of Des Moines IA; numerous nieces and nephews, extended family members.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Rosalie; son-in-law Mark Haefner; sisters-in-law, Rose Marie Schoessler, Neva Schoessler, and Patsy Schoessler.
