Colleen Ann Wheeler. of Anamosa, Iowa formerly of Exira, Iowa, the daughter of Melvin and Fern (Christensen) Bauer, was born March 26, 1947, at the Audubon County Memorial Hospital in Audubon, Iowa and died Monday, April 24, 2023, at the University Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa following an extended illness.
Colleen was baptized and confirmed at the Exira Lutheran Church. She attended the Exira Community Schools. While in high school she was active in 4H, choir, and band, playing the saxophone. She won the South West Iowa DAR award as a senior. Colleen graduated from the Exira High School in 1965, then studied at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Colleen was united in marriage Kenneth Wheeler Jr. on December 30, 1965. She was employed at Wheeler Distributing. The couple later divorced in 1974. Colleen then went to work for the Audubon Phone Company for 20 years where she was a service coordinator. In retirement, she helped Jennifer with her family and helped take care of her parents.
Later in life, she enjoyed decorating her home and spending time with her family, especially her beautiful great-grandchildren. Colleen had two amazing nurses who were also her special friends, Kris Peet and Brandee Gerdes, and her grandson, Kyle, all helping take care of her the past three years.
Colleen was preceded in death by her parents.
Surviving is her daughter, Jennifer (Todd) Husmann of Center Junction, Iowa; two grandchildren, Christina (Clayton Niehaus), and Kyle Husmann, five great-grandchildren, Casen, Cecilia, Callie, Scarlett and Sage Niehaus all of Martelle, Iowa and her brother, Steve Bauer of Exira, Iowa.
The family will greet friends on Thursday morning, May 25, 2023, from 10:00 am until the time of the service at the Kessler Funeral Home in Exira, Iowa. The Celebration of Life Memorial services will be conducted by Pastor Kelley Pedersen on Thursday morning, May 25, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Exira, Iowa. Inurnment will be in the Exira
