ST. HELENA — Jeanette Catherine Wieseler, 91, St. Helena, died April 4, 2025, at Avera Sister James Care Center, Yankton, S.D. Mass of Christian Burial will be April 9, at 10:30 a.m., at Holy Family (Immaculate Conception) Catholic Church, St. Helena, with the Rev. Marcus Knecht officiating. Burial will be at the Immaculate Conception cemetery, rural St. Helena. Pallbearers will be Jeanette’s grandsons, Jake Wiepen, Nick Wiepen, Kale Wiepen, Alex Wieseler, Owen Wieseler, Jack Calkins, Nathaniel Wieseler, Colin Wieseler, Myles Wieseler and Mason Wieseler. Visitation and a vigil service were Tuesday at church. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services Wednesday. Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home, Hartington. Jeanette Catherine was born April 26, 1933, in Constance, to Joseph George and Christine Elizabeth (Guenther) Schieffer.She grew up in Constance, and graduated from Holy Trinity High School in 1951. Jeanette taught in rural schools in Knox and Cedar counties. She married Leonard Anthony Wieseler May 16, 1961, in Constance. They had eight children who added to the joys of a busy life of managing faith, family and farm. Jeanette was a woman of quiet faith in her role as wife and mother. She worked from sun up to sundown, starting with milking cows, making meals, tending garden, canning fruits, vegetables and meat, and teaching her children farm life skills. She was an example of resilience, selflessness and frugality. In 1984, Jeanette began to work outside the home at age 51. She worked at Yankton Care Center and Golden Living Center in Hartington. She worked hard and was intrigued by the world outside of the farm. From there, she never looked back.

In 1987, she suffered a brain aneurysm and was given a 50/50 chance of survival. Her surgery took place in Sioux City, Iowa, and was very groundbreaking at the time. God intervened, and she was out of the hospital in nine days and back to work in 10 weeks. At age 71, she started the final phase of her illustrious career at Arby’sin Yankton, S.D. She worked the drive thru and greeted everyone with her trademark smile. Jeanette worked her last shift June 25, 2024, at age 91.

Jeanette enjoyed the simple pleasures in life with a nightly bowl of ice cream and was a repurposing and farm-to-table pioneer. A bread bag became a sandwich bag, Saran Wrap, or a rainboot. Every meal originated from the farm with meat, potatoes and a vegetable, and a cold cut sandwich was a culinary celebration.

Jeanette is survived by six children and spouses, Jan (Jeff) Wiepen, Omaha; LeAnn (John) Hecke, Shawnee, Kan.; Allan (Chrissie) Wieseler, Yankton, S.D.; Carol (Jon) Calkins, Inver Grove Heights, Minn.; Clair (Carol) Wieseler, St. Helena; Kelly (Beth) Wieseler, Lincoln; 17 grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; sister Angela Mueller Menominee; sisters-in-law Rosemary Schieffer Yankton, S.D.; Marietta (Carl) Soukup Sioux Falls, S;D; Sr. Barbara Wieseler, SCL, Leavenworth, Kan.; Marcia (Jim) Green, Palm Coast, Fla.; and Cheryl (Jerry) Hisek, Yankton, S.D.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Leonard, in 2014; twin infant daughters, Nancy and Norma; her parents; brothers, Sylvester Schieffer and Arthur Schieffer; sisters, Irene (Fritz) Pinkelman and Lucille (Gerald) Arens; brothers-in-law, Clarence Mueller and Gerald Wieseler; and sister-in-law, Rita (Tony) Koch.