Lela Mae Kabele

Lela Mae (Jones) Kabele, our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on October 12, 2020, at the age of 101. We will always remember her kindness, dedication to serving others, remarkable energy, and cheerful optimism nurtured by a strong faith in God.

Lela was born March 16, 1919, in a farmhouse near the Pecatonica River in the hilly region of Southwest Wisconsin, not far from the small town of Rewey. Her parents, Alvin and Ethel (Hughes) Jones were born in this region that was settled by Welsh immigrants. Lela was proud of her Welsh roots and the rich heritage of education, faith, and music that nourished her early years at home, church, and the nearby one-room school she attended. Lela often shared with us happy memories of growing up with two brothers and five sisters on the farm, where she loved being outside with the animals. As a young girl she would sneak out to watch the lambs and calves being born, and she helped to feed them. As Lela got older, she often would drive the tractor, hitch up the horses to the cultivator, and help to bale hay. Her family spent a lot of time around the piano  singing in harmony and playing instruments.

From a young age, Lela wanted to be a nurse. In order to take the required preparatory classes, she went away to high school, working for her room and board. Lela graduated from Mineral Point High School in 1937 and then attended the Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in Madison, Wisconsin. She graduated in 1940 and was immediately hired as an R.N. at Wisconsin General Hospital in Madison.

When Lela was still in high school, she met the love of her life, Walter Kabele, on a blind date at the Grant County Fair. Lela laughed when Walter rocked the car on the Ferris wheel, and later they squeezed into a photo booth to record their mutual joy. On June 6, 1942, Lela and Walter
were united in marriage at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Beloit, Wisconsin. The couple made their home and started their family in Beloit, where Walter worked as an engineer and Lela worked in the local hospital. Then they moved to Dubuque, Iowa and later to Waterloo, Iowa. As she
dedicated herself to raising five children, Lela continued to work as a nurse, serving at Allen Memorial Hospital, Schoitz Medical Center, and Americana Nursing Home. Periodically she took classes to keep up-to-date in her profession.

Looking back, we, her family, are amazed at how she did all this! Lela kept house like nobody's business. Along with the many demanding tasks that came with raising a large family in those days— cleaning, cooking, darning, washing, ironing— she and Walter planted a massive garden each year. All summer long Lela would be weeding, watering and harvesting. In the winter we would savor the tomatoes, corn, peaches, and pears that she had put by. We all looked forward to sitting down together for the family suppers she served us each day. Lela was a master pie baker, and it was her pleasure to treat us to her delicious handiwork whenever she had a chance. Family camping trips and the annual vacation to Lake Chetek and later Heath's Resort on Whitefish Lake created happy memories.

Lela's Christian faith was central to her life, and she was always active in women's circles, committees, and volunteer work at church and in the community. Since 2002, she was a member of Nazareth Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls.  In her "empty nest" years, Lela had more time for sewing, and, continuing in the tradition of her grandmother, she created many beautiful, hand-stitched quilts that she displayed or gave away.  During this time, she and Walter had the opportunity to spend winters in Florida and to travel throughout the United States. They also enjoyed trips to Wales and Panama.

In 1977, Lela and Walter moved to Piqua, Ohio until Walter's retirement in 1981, when they moved back to Iowa, settling in the small town of Denver. In 2002 they moved to Western Home Communities in Cedar Falls, Iowa. As Walter's health deteriorated, Lela served as his devoted caretaker until his death in 2005.

Lela was preceded in death by her husband, Walter; by a son-in-law, Terry Juergens; and by two brothers and three sisters. She is survived by two sons, Richard (Berni) Kabele of Holly Springs, North Carolina, and Dennis (Anita) Kabele of Cedar Falls; three daughters, Mary Juergens of Norwalk, Iowa, Ruth (Glenn) Monson of Rochester, Minnesota, and Christine (Dan) Kallman of Northfield, Minnesota; 13 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Elaine Delehanty of Rewey, Wisconsin, and Dorothy Stead of Bloomer, Wisconsin; and many nieces and nephews.

A private family grave-side service will be held with burial at Greenwood Cemetery of Cedar Falls. Arrangements are being made by Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home in Cedar Falls. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials to Nazareth Lutheran Church or Western Home Communities, Cedar Falls, Iowa.