Carol Helen Tesch Peeper, 73, died on Friday, July 18, 2025, at Marshfield Medical Center, Beaver Dam.
She was born in Beaver Dam, on June 13, 1952, to Paul and Ruth (Lenz) Tesch of Juneau. It was there she grew up on the family dairy farm, graduating from Horicon High School in 1970. She graduated from UW-Platteville with a Bachelor’s degree.
In 1981, Carol married George J. Peeper of Fall River, and they made their home in Doylestown for the next 40 years. There the Peeper’s raised two kids and three dogs.
Carol was a dedicated stay-at-home mom. Carol loved to garden, cook, walk her dogs, read, and spend time with family and friends.
She was always active and involved in the community, including teaching Sunday School, serving on the Columbia County Economic Development Corporation, and the Rio School Board.
Carol’s faith was very important to her and was active at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Doylestown and Zion Lutheran in Columbus.
As her children got older, Carol returned to the workforce as a Journalist for the Columbus newspaper covering sports and other local events. Carol then worked at WPS Insurance in Monona and retired there after twenty plus years of service as unit coordinator.
In retirement, Carol kept busy as well, joining a book club, spending time with her friends in her Red Hat Lady Society groups, and being active in the Ladies Aid and Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society. Carol and George moved to rural Juneau later in their years.
Carol meant a great deal to many, many lives that she touched over her lifetime with her incredible warm kindness, her laughter, and her sense of humor. She was outspoken, without being out of line. She was the glue that held our family together, our rock and our refuge in difficult times. You can never judge a book by its cover, and she was the epitome of that. We are shattered by losing you so soon, Mom. We will love you forever.
Survivors include her husband, George J. Peeper; two children, Adrian Peeper of Doylestown and Christie (Joel) Belstra of Fennimore; her grandchildren, Lily and Glen Belstra; her brother, Donald (Cindy) Tesch of Juneau; sisters-in-law, Karen Sugden and Marlene Peeper; and many nieces and nephews and cousins, including a special niece, Jackie Peeper and special nephew, Albert Sugden; her furry dog, Pete. Carol had many special friends including her lifelong best friend, Kathi Voss Schwartz.
Carol was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Ruth Tesch; in-laws, George W. and Georgine (Appert) Peeper; brothers-in-law, Jeff Peeper, Jay Peeper and Raymond Sugden; nephew, James Sugden.
A visitation was held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 23, at Zion Lutheran Church, Columbus. A funeral service followed at 11 a.m. Rev. Tim Schwartz officiated. Internment was in Hillside Cemetery, Columbus.
Special thanks goes out from our family to the nurses and doctors at the Poser Clinic, St. Mary’s Hospitals and Clinics, UW Madison, and Marshfield Medical Center in Beaver Dam, Juneau EMS, and Dodge County Sheriff’s Department, especially Dr. Sam Poser, Dr. Rolf Poser, and Dr. Mccormack. Many thanks also to Pastors Tim Schwartz and Ben Zuberbier.
We encourage you to share your online condolences with Carol’s family at jensenfuneralandcremation.com
