Iris Diel

Iris Marie Diel, age 81, of Wausau, passed away on Thursday, February 20, 2025, surrounded by her loving family at Mountain Terrace Senior Living.

Iris was born on April 13, 1943, to Lawrence and LaVera (Brandt) Hanke in Marathon City, WI. She graduated from Wausau High School in 1961. Iris worked as a manager at Kmart until her retirement. Her strong work ethic and friendly demeanor made her a cherished colleague. In 1996, Iris got remarried to John Diel and together they built a strong loving family. Iris was a very thoughtful, kind, and caring soul, always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need and spoil everyone. She will be greatly missed for her big heart and contagious giggle. Her strong commitment to her faith, family, and friends never wavered, leaving a lasting impact on all who had the pleasure of knowing her.

Iris always enjoyed traveling up north with her family and friends, building a lot of happy memories while camping, fishing, and cooking out. She loved family gatherings and was famous for her delicious chicken noodle soup. She also liked canning, gardening, reading, and listening to Polka music. Above all, Iris treasured spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, cherishing the moments they shared together. She always looked forward to car rides and shopping with her daughter Brenda.

Iris is survived by her son, Scott (Denise) Jansa; daughter, Brenda (Dennis) Laffin; three grandchildren, Cory (Shelby) Jansa, Cameron (Katie) Jansa, and Evan Laffin; two great-grandchildren, Madi and Carson; sister, Eunice (Leroy) Stark; brother, Virgil Hanke; sisters-in-law, Florence Diel and Mary Haash; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, John; brother, Gerald (Dawn) Hanke; and sister, Mercedes (Jerome) Myszkowski.

A Funeral Service will be held at 11:30 AM on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at Wesley United Methodist Church,1101 Elm Street, Wausau. Visitation will take place from 9:30 AM until the time of service at the church on Thursday.

The family would like to thank the staff at Aspirus Hospice and Mountain Terrace for their care, support, and compassion.