Diane Kay Breitsprecher, 87, of Elkader passed away peacefully on January 8, 2026, at the Elkader Care Center. Diane was born on November 30, 1938, in Iowa City, Iowa, to Leroy and Beatrice Jennie (Mangold) Hansel. She grew up a farm near Littleport. She attended Country School Volga #7 thru the 8th grade and graduated from Elkader High School in 1956. She was a member of the band, chorus and 4-H.
She was united in marriage to Roger Lee Breitsprecher on May 1, 1956. Two sons were born to this union, Brad and Brian. After High School, while Roger was in the Navy, she worked at the Ben Franklin store and served as a nanny. They moved to the Breitsprecher Century family farm in Clayton Center in 1958, where they ran a hog and dairy farm for 40 years.
Diane received her pilot’s license in 1976, she and her husband were both members of The Flying Farmers of Iowa. Diane served as Iowa Flying Farmer Queen in 1977-78. In 1985, Diane started working for the State of Iowa Judicial Dept. as a Court Attendant. She retired from the state in 2009. During her retirement she worked part time at The Buttery. She enjoyed gardening and became a Master Gardener.
She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Clayton Center where she served as President of Lutheran Church Women for many years. She was Vice President of Northeast Iowa Experimental Aircraft Association. She was also a member of Clayton County Genealogy Society. Diane enjoyed being with friends, good music, flying, reading, feeding the birds and shopping. Most of all she enjoyed family, she had great love for each of them.
She is survived by her sons, Brad (Sue) Breitsprecher, Brian (Brenda)Â Breitsprecher; grandchildren, Andy (Leah) Breitsprecher, Chad (Laurie) Breitsprecher, Amy (Bill) Powers, Brandon Breitsprecher and Blake Breitsprecher;Â great-grandchildren, Sawyer, Harper, Maraily, Adilynn, Noah, Natalie, and Griffin; brother-in-law Ivan Freitag; sister-in-law Barbara Hansel; several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Diane was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Roger Breitsprecher, on July 14, 2024; her parents, Leroy and Beatrice Hansel; her brother, Paul Hansel; her sisters, Phyllis Freitag and Sheryl Harmon; her brother-in-law, Dick Harmon; her father-in-law and mother-in-law Ervin and Hilma Breitsprecher.
Memorials may be directed to Zion Lutheran Church or Clayton Center Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Sunday, January 18, 2026 from 2:00 PM until 5:00 PM at Leonard-Grau Funeral Home in Elkader, Iowa and one hour before services at the church on Monday.
 Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 am on Monday, January 19, 2026 at Zion Lutheran Church, Clayton Center, Iowa with Pastor Rusty Phillips as the officiant.
Leonard-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Elkader, Iowa is assisting the family with services.