Joseph William Mayer, longtime and long-ago teacher and coach at Lourdes High School, died peacefully on Sunday, June 24, 2018 at Madonna Towers Skilled Nursing Facility.
Born in Waterloo, Iowa, to J. Urban and Marie Klein Mayer on May 14, 1935, he was the first of seven children. They moved to a farm when Joe began high school. There he learned how to milk a cow and clean a chicken coop, and he drove his siblings and neighbors to school at age 14. He excelled in sports and soloed in school choirs, but everyone was relieved that he put down his violin after a month of lessons.
He graduated from Loras College, Dubuque in 1957. During his four years on the Loras football team, they stopped once to practice while on the road, and that was at Rochester Lourdes. He had planned post graduate studies, but when he was told about an opening for teacher and coach at Lourdes, he remembered his good impression of the school and city, applied, and found his passion in teaching.
One of the subjects he taught at Lourdes was Business Law. The word ‘infant’ is defined as one who is under the age of majority, and he relished calling his students infants. He was known to have walks (and talks) around the school campus with students in trouble, and made infamous appearances on the roof of the school in order to catch school skippers.
During the summers, he and three other teachers, all named Gene, opened Genes and Joe’s Golf Center, a golf range and mini golf. The teachers were equipment-savvy, owning a ball picker strapped to the front of a vintage truck. Joe’s children and some of their cousins drove around in circles practicing their driving skills and yes, mishaps occurred.
He is remembered: enjoying camping trips and sitting around bonfires at night, reading “The Littlest Angel” on Christmas Eve before opening presents, and leisurely riding his bike while smoking his pipe on family outings. Often he was heard saying “Don’t have fun!” to his Grands. They learned to tease back with “We’re having fun, Grandpa.”
One of his greatest summer pastimes was gardening early each morning smoking his pipe “to keep away the mosquitos.” When the plot became smaller, it still produced large quantities of healthy food.
His greatest challenge has been living with the results of his stroke in 2011. He fought it, defied it, and finally is freed of it.
Joe met Elaine Mraz from Cedar Rapids, Iowa while they were in college. They married on June 13, 1959. He is survived by Elaine; his children, Teresa (Brian Fristensky) of Winnipeg, Joseph (Molly Keogh) of San Diego, Rebecca (Steven Hughes) of Cedarburg, WI, Andrew (Ann Donohue) of Minneapolis, Mary (John Weidner) of Edina, Jennifer (Lee Greseth) of Plymouth, MN, Sarah of Denver, and Benjamin of Grafton, WI; grandchildren, Connor and Eamon Redpath, Kelli and Joe Mayer, Jackson Maniaci, Patricia, Caroline and Tim Mayer, John and Ellie Weidner, Morgan and Luke Greseth, and Sophie and Stella Bird; and his siblings, Lawrence (Jan Hancock) of Davenport, Richard (Jane Royer) of Waterloo, Mary (Bill Jenney) of Brooklyn Center, and Anthony (Linda Stuzynski) of Omaha; also his sister-in-law, Barbara Mayer; and brother-in-law, Michael Kress; and many nieces and nephews. Preceding him to the next life are his parents; his brother, Jack; and sister, Teresa.
A memorial service will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 30, 2018 in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home. Visitation with family will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, June 29th at Madonna Towers, and also from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home. Joe has donated his body to the Mayo Medical School.
In lieu of flowers, you may donate to the Joe Mayer Scholarship at Lourdes High School, or your favorite charity.
We are grateful for the care and compassion that we all received from the staff at Madonna Towers, and for the understanding and support from Seasons Hospice the past weeks.
Thanks for the memories, Joe. You continue to put a smile in our hearts.
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