A funeral Mass for Lael Kahler will be held Tuesday, March 1st, at 10:30 AM at Divine Mercy Parish ~ St.John’s Catholic Church in Bancroft. Burial will be in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 PM Monday at Oakcrest Funeral Services of Bancroft.
Lael Emilie Kahler was born December 18, 1937, in Whittemore, daughter of Hildreth R. “Hitchy” and Elvira (Wehrspann) Pettit. Lael was the valedictorian of her senior class graduating in 1955 from Whittemore Public School. She went on to further her education at La James Beauty School in Mason City graduating in 1956 and operating her own beauty salon in Fenton until 1979. Lael also spent many hours in her younger years working at the Plantation Ballroom near Whittemore.
In 1962, she met her husband, Tony Kahler of Bancroft at a dance at Interlaken in Fairmont, MN. She and Tony were married on November 30, 1963, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Bancroft. They made their home in Fenton from 1963 until March of 1979, when they moved to their farm east of Bancroft.
Lael had a special love of music and she started playing the organ at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Fairville then at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Whittemore until they moved to Bancroft. She continued playing at St. John’s Catholic Church until 2020 playing for countless Masses, weddings, and funerals. Lael was also active in St. John’s Altar Society for many years. Lael enjoyed quilt work and was an excellent rug maker, making over 3000 rugs throughout the years. She enjoyed gardening, planting flowers, mowing, playing cards, and spending time with her grandchildren.
Lael E. Kahler died Wednesday, February 23, 2022, under the care of Hospice of the Heartland. She was 84.
She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Tony Kahler of Bancroft; two daughters, Kerry Kahler and Heather Vaske and her husband Chris of Bancroft; two grandchildren, Jordan Vaske and Corey Vaske of Bancroft; one brother, Dr. William Pettit and his wife Marlene of Monkey Island, OK; a sister-in-law, Lorraine Pettit of Decorah; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Dana (Ernie) Frieden; and two brothers, Ronnie (Julie) Pettit and Joe Pettit.
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