Ed Von Feldt

Funeral services and Mass of Christian Burial for Edward J. Von Feldt, 74, of Davenport, will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 3, 2020 at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Davenport. The Mass can be livestreamed by visiting Sacred Heart’s website at https://www.shcdavenport.org/ .  Visitation will be held from 4 until 7 p.m. Friday at the Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home, Davenport. There will be additional visitation at church on Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of the Mass.  Please know everyone is welcome, but please, masks are required and social distancing will be adhered to.

Ed died Thursday, September 24, 2020 at the University of Iowa Hospital following a courageous battle with interstitial lung disease (pulmonary fibrosis). Ed was surrounded by his family at the time of his passing.

Ed was born on March 5, 1946 in Austin, Minnesota, a son of Edgar and Esther (Frandel) Von Feldt.  He met the love of his life, Jeanne M. O’Brien at a freshman dance at St. Ambrose University.  Once they met, Ed and Jeanne were inseparable and became best friends.  They were united in marriage August 10, 1968 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Iowa City. Together, they raised two children, Katie and Patrick in their loving home in Plover, Wisconsin where treasured family memories were created.  This August they celebrated 52 years of marriage together.

Ed had master’s degrees in Anthropology and School Administration.  He began his illustrious educational career as a teacher in the Milwaukee Public Schools before taking the principal position at Stevens Point Area Senior High School (SPASH).  Ed retired in 2003 after 25 years in administration.  During his time at SPASH the school was the recipient of Excellence in Education from the U.S. Department of Education and was honored by the 40th president, Ronald Reagan, at the White House in 1985. He took pride in bringing a sense of community to the school and during the national evaluation SPASH was the only school sited where the students were given an active role in running the school.  He was driven by doing all he could for the welfare of the students.  He was a member of the Association of Wisconsin Administrators. Following his retirement, Ed was very proud to write many successful grants for All Saints Catholic School where his wife, Jeanne, is principal.

Ed’s greatest passion was his family, and he loved spending time with his wife, children and his four granddaughters—Rori, Blake, Vivian and Kamryn. He had a passion for history and loved reading every book he could find that would teach him something new about the past and great leaders, from Civil War Generals to Winston Churchill.   Ed loved being outdoors and enjoyed fishing.  He also enjoyed many sports, but had a true passion for basketball as he played in college for St. Ambrose University where he excelled.  Ed passed this love for this sport to both his daughter and son.  Ed had a gift for storytelling and loved to share his quick wit and knowledge with all whom he met.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to All Saints Catholic School or Stevens Point Area Senior High School.

Those left to honor Ed’s memory are his wife, Jeanne, Davenport; children and their spouses: Katherine “Katie” and Wade Baxter, Lincolnshire, Illinois and Patrick and Kathleen “Katie” Von Feldt, Northbrook, Illinois; granddaughters: Rori and Blake Baxter, Vivian, and Kamryn Von Feldt; siblings: Donald (Trudy) Von Feldt, Mason City, Iowa and Marge Canning, Naples, Florida; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Jo (Fred) Riddle, Iowa City, Jim (Sue) O’Brien, Brookfield, Wisconsin, Mike (Michelle) O’Brien, Toledo, Ohio, and Jay (Mary) Brandhorst, Central City, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters, Marian Von Feldt and Elaine Berge, and his grand dog in Heaven, Madison.

The family would like to thank the love and care shown by the incredible doctors and nurses of the University of Iowa hospital RSCU unit.