Aileen Lois Voelz

Aileen Lois Voelz, age

82, of Mankato passed

away on Monday, Sep-

tember 14, 2020. Private

family services will be

held at a future date. Man-

kato Mortuary is assisting

the family with arrange-

ments.

Aileen Lois Jans was

born Christmas morning,

December 25, 1937 to An-

drew and Emilie Jans in

Anamoose, ND, a sister to

3 older brothers. She was

raised and educated in

Drake, ND, where she be-

came an accomplished pi-

anist and gave piano les-

sons to many children

over several years in

Drake, and the surround-

ing communities. Aileen

was a pianist and organist

in the churches that she

belonged to over many

years and often directed

children’s Christmas pro-

grams at those churches.

In her first marriage she

gave birth to 3 children,

Timothy, Thomas and

Tracy Filler. After her

children started school

she followed her desire to

become a teacher by en-

rolling at Minot State Col-

lege, there she received

her degree in Elementary

education and Music edu-

cation. Aileen taught in

Towner, ND from approx-imately 1971-1981 and in

Drake, ND from

1981-1983. She then di-

vorced, and went on to

earn her master’s degree

in education at the

University of ND. She re-

located to Mankato, MN

where she taught briefly

at Mankato State and was

an Elementary Principal

at Waldorf-Pemberton

Public Elementary School.

It was in Mankato where

she reunited with her

high school sweetheart

Richard Voelz, and they

were married in 1985 un-

til Dick’s passing in July

of 2006. Aileen and Dick

shared many common in-

terests such as their love

for traveling and the out-

doors and camping,

which they did often with

their grandchildren. Her

love of sports and music,

especially when the

grandchildren were the

participants meant attend-ing as many of their

events as possible.

Aileen was involved

with United Methodist

Women’s Organization for

many years serving as

President of her confer-

ence for a period of time.

After the passing of her

husband, Aileen lived in

North Mankato until 4 1/2

years ago when a house

proved too much for the

onset of her Alzheimer’s

so she became a resident

of Primrose Retirement

and Assisted Living Com-

munity and she resided

there until her death.

Aileen is survived by:

her children, Timothy

Filler, Thomas (Shannon)

Filler, Tracy (Steve)

Heidrich; 5 step-children;

grandchildren, Dustin

(Nicole) Filler, Hollie

(Nick Kohlsgraf) Filler,

Tyler Filler, Emilie Filler,

Cole Filler, Melissa (Da-

vid) O’Hara, Kristin (Da-

vid) Burt, Jadin (Thomas)

Stromme; 7

step-grandchildren;

great-grandchildren, Gra-

ham O’Hara, Dannielle

Filler, Logan and Ashley

Kohlsgraf, Milo Burt; 3

step-great-grandchildren.

Aileen is preceded in

death by: her parents, An-

drew and Emilie Jans;

husband, Richard Voelz;

brothers, Edmund, Mel-

vin, and Verland;

son-in-law, Thomas

Schettler.