Joan (Joanie) Agnes (Helle) Tauke – Greeley

Joan (Joanie) Agnes (Helle) Tauke of Greeley, Iowa was called home peacefully Friday, March
27, 2026, at 11:15 a.m. surrounded by her loving family. She was born September 4, 1956 in
Dubuque, Iowa, daughter of George and Joan (Jaeger) Helle. She attended St. Francis Xavier
and Beckman High School in Dyersville, graduating in 1974.

Visitation will be held from 2 – 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Kramer-Morris Funeral
Home in Dyersville, Iowa where a prayer service will begin at 2 p.m. Visitation will continue
from 9 – 10 a.m. at Kramer-Morris Funeral Home prior to funeral services.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at St. Francis Xavier
Basilica in Dyersville, Iowa, with burial following in the church cemetery. Rev. David Schatz
will officiate.

Joanie was united in marriage to Tom R. Tauke at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville on
September 17, 1988. Together Joanie and Tom raised their 3 daughters on the family farm west
of Greeley.

After graduating High School, she began her career in insurance in 1974 with Insurance
Associates in Dyersville. She then joined Insurance Associates in Monticello in 1994, retiring in
June of 2022 after being diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma in February of 2022.

Joanie was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Manchester. She was very active in her
Catholic faith, praying the rosary daily along with volunteering for the SCRIP program with her
home parish. It was her strong faith which carried her through her treatments and battle with
cancer. She enjoyed embroidery work and quilting as she created many beautiful quilts that will
hold a special memory for all who they were gifted to. She also truly enjoyed baking, gardening,
traveling and spending time with her children, grandchildren and extended family.

Those left to honor her memory include her husband of 37 years, Tom Tauke; her three children:
Molly (Kurt) Breuer of Glen Haven, Wi, Lindsey Tauke of Shelbyville, TN, and Heather (Jake)
Walz of Glen Haven, Wi; her five grandchildren: Tim and Henry Breuer, Lyla, Logan, and Liam
Walz; siblings: Frank (Joann) Helle of Dyersville, Marlene (Ambrose) Koopmann of Epworth,
Ruth Griffin of Dubuque, Bob (Cami) Helle of Dyersville, LuAnn (Bob) Cigrand of Cascade,
Doris (Clair) Riesberg of Dyersville, Paul (Stella) Helle of Dyersville, George (Connie) Helle of
Anamosa, Pearl Kelchen of Cedar Rapids; sister-in-law, Margie Helle of Hopkinton; in-laws:
Mary Ellen (Vern) Recker of Dyersville, Nancy (Steve) Deutmeyer of Dubuque, Norma Tauke
of Dyersville and Roger (Carolyn) Silhanek of Belle Plaine; her three godchildren: Sally
Koopmann, Melissa Sturm, and Lisa Mushrush; along with many nieces and nephews.

Joanie was preceded in death by her parents, George and Joan Helle; siblings: Sister Mary Ann
Helle OSF, Norma (Gerry) Kelchen, LeRoy Helle, Janet (John) Schwendinger, along with
Kathleen Helle and Henry Helle in infancy; brothers-in-law: Larry Griffin, Harry Kelchen, and
father and mother-in-law, Clarence & Loretta Tauke; in-laws: Carol Ann Silhanek, Kenny
Tauke, Scott Tauke and Judy Tauke in infancy.

The Tauke family would like to extend a special thanks to MercyOne Senior Care, Care Initiative
hospice, especially Nurse Laura, Dr. Eric Engelman along with all the Mercy One Cancer Center
nurses, UW Madison especially Dr. Dan Abbott and Dr, Sam Lubner for their wonderful
compassionate care over the last 4 years.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred. A Memorial fund for Catholic Schools has been
established.

Kramer-Morris Funeral Home (Dyersville, Guttenberg, Garnavillo, Monticello, Holy Cross) is
assisting the family and online condolences may be left for the family at www.kramermorrisfuneralhome.com.