DELORES PIEL

Delores B. Piel, “ Candy”, 86, formerly of Altoona and Augusta, lost her battle with leukemia on Saturday afternoon November 5, 2016 at Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Eau Claire, with her family at her side.
Delores Bernice Piel, daughter of Roy and Grace (Boettcher) Herrick was born February 11, 1930.  She was raised in Bridge Creek Township, rural Augusta, where she attended school in Augusta.  After her education she worked at Woolworth’s Dime Store in Eau Claire, before moving to Milwaukee, where she was employed at Briggs and Stratton Manufacturing.  While in Milwaukee she was united in marriage in 1960 to Vernon Edwin Piel.  The couple, with their young son, John, moved back to Augusta in 1967 so they could send John to school in their hometown.  In 1970, they purchased Klatt’s Tavern just north of Augusta.  After renovating and adding on to the bar, they renamed it the Gateway Bar, which they operated for 7 years.  Candy moved to Altoona in 1992, and had just recently moved back to Augusta.  For many years, Candy had been employed by Phillips Plastics of Eau Claire.  Her plan was to retire at age 65, but after 2 weeks of retirement, she could not stand the boredom of retirement and went back to work--starting off as part time, which turned in to full time.  She finally officially retired at age 79. 
Candy enjoyed reading, and being a history buff,  she had an extensive collection of books about our nation's history.  Along those same lines, she would watch historical movies and documentaries about our country's history and loved to discuss what she had been watching or books that she had read with her friends and family.  She was happy spending time outside working in her flower garden, watching the birds, and was thrilled each year when the humming birds returned.
In earlier years, she enjoyed traveling and especially the many hunting trips with the family to  Montana, which included visiting close friends.
Candy will be dearly missed by her son, John and Cheryl Piel of Kenosha; brother Dennis and Jo Ann Herrick of Eau Claire; her nephew and nieces who helped to care for her during her recent illness, Kenneth and Teresa Piel ofAugusta and Jovena Schreurs of Altoona; as well as her God child, Roberta Thurston of Eau Claire.  She is further survived by many other nieces, nephews and other relatives. 
Candy was preceded in death by her father in 1979; mother in 1985; husband, Vernon, in 1989; and siblings, Betty Raether, Bernadine Dusick, Joyce Ann Schommer, Zona Piel, Duane "Buz" Herrick, Gayle Foldy and Darrell Herrick.
Private family services will be held at a later date.  The family is assisted by the Anderson Funeral Home in Augusta.
Online condolences can be left at www.andersonfhaugusta.com.