Celeste Pieper

Celeste Pieper, age 92, of Melrose, died on Monday, June 23, 2008 at the Melrose Area Hospital in Melrose.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 28 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose with Rev. Vince Lieser officiating. A private inurnment will be held at St. John's Cemetery in Meire Grove at a later date.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose and from 8 to 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose. Parish prayers will be held at 7 p.m. Friday evening at the funeral home.

Celeste Pieper was born January 12, 1916 in Melrose to Henry and Margaret (Zirbes) Tieman. After graduating from Melrose High School, Celeste was employed by the phone company as a switch board operator. She was united in marriage to Lawrence Pieper on July 22, 1941 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Melrose. She also worked at Litchfield Produce Company and the Belgrade Produce Company. In 1990, Celeste retired from Fingerhut where she worked as a seamstress.She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose. Celeste loved playing cards and bowling. She went to the State Competition in 1965 while she was bowling in the women's league in Belgrade. She also enjoyed flower gardening and cooking.

Survivors include her children, Judy Valentine (Jim Erickson) of Fort Atkinson, WI, Jim (Janet) Pieper of Nevis, Tom (Laurie) Pieper of Phoenix, AZ, Randy (Arlene) Pieper of Melrose, and John Pieper; 19 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; brothers, Leo (Clair) Tieman of Germantown, WI and Roy (Beatrice) Tieman of Melrose; and sisters, Peg (Les) Iverson of Big Stone, SD, and Carol Anderson of Melrose.

Celeste was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Lawrence Pieper; brothers, Tony, Bob, Ralph, and Earl Tieman; and sisters, Esther Habstritt and Etta Bueckers.

Serving as casket bearers will be Jason Pieper, Kevin Valentine, Todd Pieper, Cory Pieper, Adam Pieper, and Steve Pieper. Cross bearer will be Zach Pieper and scripture bearer will be Gary Pieper.