Diane K. Breitsprecher
Diane Kay Breitsprecher, 87, of Elkader, passed away peacefully on Jan. 8, 2026, at the Elkader Care Center.
Diane was born on Nov. 30, 1938, in Iowa City, to Leroy and Beatrice Jennie (Mangold) Hansel. She grew up on a farm near Littleport.
She attended Country School Volga #7 through the eighth grade and graduated from Elkader High School in 1956. She was a member of the band, chorus and 4-H.
She was united in marriage to Roger Lee Breitsprecher on May 1, 1956. Two sons were born to this union, Brad and Brian. After high school, while Roger was in the Navy, she worked at the Ben Franklin store and served as a nanny. They moved to the Breitsprecher century family farm in Clayton Center in 1958, where they ran a hog and dairy farm for 40 years.
Diane received her pilot’s license in 1976, and she and her husband were both members of The Flying Farmers of Iowa. Diane served as Iowa Flying Farmer Queen in 1977-78. In 1985, Diane started working for the State of Iowa Judicial Department as a court attendant. She retired from the state in 2009. During her retirement, she worked part time at The Buttery. She enjoyed gardening and became a master gardener.
She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Clayton Center, where she served as president of the Lutheran Church Women for many years. She was vice president of the Northeast Iowa Experimental Aircraft Association. She was also a member of the Clayton County Genealogy Society.
Diane enjoyed being with friends, good music, flying, reading, feeding the birds and shopping. Most of all, she enjoyed family. She had great love for each of them.
She is survived by her sons, Brad (Sue) Breitsprecher and Brian (Brenda) Breitsprecher; grandchildren, Andy (Leah) Breitsprecher, Chad (Laurie) Breitsprecher, Amy (Bill) Powers, Brandon Breitsprecher and Blake Breitsprecher; great-grandchildren, Sawyer, Harper, Maraily, Adilynn, Noah, Natalie and Griffin; brother-in-law, Ivan Freitag; sister-in-law, Barbara Hansel; and several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Diane was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Roger Breitsprecher, on July 14, 2024; her parents, Leroy and Beatrice Hansel; her brother, Paul Hansel; her sisters, Phyllis Freitag and Sheryl Harmon; her brother-in-law, Dick Harmon; and her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Ervin and Hilma Breitsprecher.
Memorials may be directed to Zion Lutheran Church or Clayton Center Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Sunday, Jan. 18, from 2 until 5 p.m., at Leonard-Grau Funeral Home in Elkader and one hour before services (9:30 to 10:30 a.m.) on Monday, Jan. 19, at the church.
Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 19, at Zion Lutheran Church, Clayton Center. Pastor Rusty Phillips will officiate.
Leonard-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Elkader is assisting the family.
