Dennis Harold Christeleit, 79, was born at the Oelwein Hospital on May 12, 1945, to Harold and Norma (Nydegger) Christeleit. He answered Jesus’ call on April 4, 2025, surrounded by his family at his Volga home.
Dennis was baptized at St. Sebald Lutheran Church in rural Strawberry Point on September 27, 1945. He was confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Volga on March 22, 1959.
He attended the Volga School until they merged with Elkader Central in 1961, graduating in 1963. He spent most of his life on the Christeleit family farm which his great-grandfather, Julius, had purchased in 1907.
On December 28, 1965, he married Lorna Mae Baade at Bethany Lutheran Church in Elkader. Their first home was near Volga. In April 1967, they moved to the family farm where they lived for 32 years before moving into Volga in 1999. Three children were born to them: Terry Dennis (August 19, 1968) Tracy Ann (October 24, 1970), and Tammy Lynn (July 26, 1975). He loved his family dearly, enjoyed playing basketball, and teaching his children about the farm.
He was a dairy farmer, and he loved his Holstein cows. In 1970, a new 60 cow stanchion dairy barn was built where he spent many hours taking care of and milking his cows. Terry, Tracy and Tammy loved playing in the barn while he was doing chores. In 1976, Dennis and Lorna were runners up in the Swiss Valley Young Cooperators Dairy contest and traveled to San Francisco. They also traveled to Miami in 1977 to attend the National Dairy Federation Annual Meeting. Dennis was proud that he took his family to Alaska in 1982 and Florida in 1986. Every once in a while he would say “Lorna, we did well for dairy farmers for all the places we traveled to”.
Dennis was also involved in the Elkader and Volga Communities. He served on the following boards: Central Community Hospital, Elkader Golf and Country Club, Dairy Herd Improvement Association, Swiss Valley Advisory Committee, St. Paul Lutheran Church Council, and the Volga City Council.
While Dennis milked, he would create his own lyrics to familiar tunes and even made his own CD! When he was asked to introduce the Dairy Princess contestants at the annual Clayton County Dairy Banquet, he would sing his signature song “Roaring Bull”. It would have everyone ‘roaring’ with laughter.
For over 40 years, Dennis and Lorna were also part of the Chicken Ridge Card Club where they played “500”. Dennis enjoyed snowmobiling, bowling, playing cards, golfing, and making people laugh along with enjoying time with his family and friends.
Dennis is survived by his wife Lorna; son Terry and wife Jolene; daughter Tracy and her husband Craig Follon; two grandchildren Tara Lynn Follon and William Terry Christeleit; sister Diane and husband Randy Wiedenman, of Farmersburg; two nephews Alan and Jeff Wiedenman, one aunt, Darlene Wilker and many relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents Harold & Norma; in-laws Clarence and Hulda Baade, grandparents and daughter Tammy Lynn, who passed away on July 21, 1993, and many other family members.
Memorials may be made to the family for later designaion.
Visitation will be held from 3 to 7 PM on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at Leonard-Grau Funeral Home in Elkader
And one hour before the 10 AM service on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Arlington.
Rev. Margaret Yackel-Juleen will officiate.
Interment will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery in Volga.
Everyone is welcome to join the family for dinner at Johnson’s Reception Hall in Elkader following the burial.
Leonard-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Elkader is assisting the family.