Mary Kapler

MARY FRANCES KAPLER

Cedar Rapids

Mary Frances (Fran) Bliesmer Kapler, 64, of 905 Third St. SE, died Thurs-day, July 9, 2015, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha following a long and courageous battle with cancer. Services: 10 a.m. Monday, All Saints Catholic Church, by the Rev. John Flaherty. Burial: Mount Calvary Cemetery. Friends may visit from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Teahen Funeral Home, where a vigil will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friends also may visit with the family on Monday after 9 a.m. at the church.

Survivors include her daughter, Christine (Dave) Gienapp of Cameron, Mo.; a son, David (Amy) Kapler of Cedar Rapids; a daughter, Sarah (Jeremiah) Johnson of Austin, Minn.; four sisters, Jan (George "Junior") Vosberg of Cuba City, Wis., Joanne (Dave) Oberbroeckling of Davenport, Glenda (Mark) Luebke of Chilton, Wis., and Patty (Andy) Frost of Oskaloosa; a brother, Raymond Bliesmer of Parker, Colo.; and loving grandchildren, Stephanie and Vanessa Kapler, Andrew Kapler and Isaac and Ian Johnson.

Fran also will be dearly missed by her sisters-in-law, Denise, Kathy and Mary; brother-in-law, John; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives whom she loved very dearly.

Fran was born Sept. 26, 1950, in Bernard, Iowa, to Raymond Herman Bliesmer and Mary Catherine Blanche Bliesmer. She graduated from Western Dubuque High School in Epworth in 1968.

On April 17, 1971, Fran married Tom Kapler in Dubuque, Iowa. Fran and Tom lived in Cedar Rapids during their 30 years of marriage, except for the few years they lived in the Stone City/Anamosa area.

Following their marriage, Fran graduated from Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids with a degree in business and later received her MBA from the University of Phoenix in 2005.

Fran spent most of her professional career in human resources, working initially for Merchants National Bank in Cedar Rapids, and spending the last 15 years of her career with her wonderful co-workers at Alliant Energy. Fran also served as an adjunct professor for Kirkwood Community College and the University of Phoenix, teaching math and business classes to aspiring students.

Fran was preceded in death by her husband, Tom, who passed away from heart failure in 2002.

A member of All Saints Catholic Church, Fran was a loving person with an incredible work ethic and passion for life. She found beauty in everyone and everything. An eternal optimist, her inspired hope lives on with all of us.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.teahenfuneral home.com.