Carol Lynn Mahr

Carol Lynn (Celius) Mahr passed away Saturday August 22, 2015. She was born November 25, 1950 to Wesley and Bernice (Tillman) Celius and raised in Genoa. After high school, she became a beautician by trade. She played trumpet and sang in The Jolly Swiss Rangers, her family’s polka band. Her ongoing love for music will keep her spirit perpetually alive.
She married Robert (Bob) Mahr in 1970 and pursued her most desired “job” of becoming a mother, and later grandmother. She shared her solid faith in God and the value that everything is to be done with pride and love. Carol viewed practicality as an art form as she would take great delight in stretching every penny.
She loved hosting large family meals, making sure she included everyone’s favorite dish or dessert. She made sure everyone filled their second plate before she even took her first bite of food. Carol was energized when she could share her cooking and baking with neighbors and friends. She tirelessly made sure no one went without basic needs, especially at Christmastime. She sewed cancer turbans to donate to oncology; crocheting mittens and hats for the mitten trees; and made gallons of homemade soup for the local pantries. Carol fully utilized all of her talents for the benefit of others, yet she never viewed this as work, but rather everything she loved to do. She genuinely poured her love into family and others through crafting, gardening, planting, and sharing her contagious spirit of gratefulness in the simplest forms. Carol’s love of nature and the outdoors was a spiritual experience for her. From the time she got sick through the end of her earthly life, Carol never gave up her positive outlook, assuring us of God’s comfort and unconditional love.
Carol is survived by her husband Robert ”Bob”; their children, Christina (Mike) Eder, Raymond (Stephanie) Mahr, and Cathy (Dan) Novy; grandchildren Todd, Westley, Evan, and Marley; mother, Bernice Celius; brother, James (Pat) Celius; sister, Diana (Gene) Pfaff and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her father Wesley Celius and niece Angel (Pfaff) Tarjeson.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 AM Wednesday, August 26th at Mary, Mother of the Church Parish at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 2203 Weston Street, La Crosse with Rev. Brian D. Konopa as Celebrant. A private family burial will follow in Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 4:30-7:30 PM at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral and Cremation Services of La Crosse where a rosary will be recited at 4:30 PM. Visitation will also be held on Wednesday at the church from 9:30 AM until the time of Mass.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Gundersen Health Systems Foundation. As an additional honor to Carol’s life, random acts of kindness will also carry on her legacy of generosity.