Cecil Peter Mousel

CECIL PETER MOUSEL was born on April 11, 1923 to John and Frances (Sudtelgte) Mousel in Dell Rapids, South Dakota. He attended school at St. Mary’s Academy in Dell Rapids, graduating from high school in 1941. He attended one year of school at South Dakota State College in Brookings, South Dakota, at which point World War II was beginning and the school released the students who needed to return home. Cecil went home and helped his mother and father on the farm. On September 30, 1948, Cecil was united in marriage to Georgia Kampmeyer at Huntimer Catholic Church in rural Colton, South Dakota. Following their marriage, they lived at Cecil’s mother’s home three miles north of Dell Rapids where Cecil helped his younger brother on the family farm. One year later, they moved to Eden Township, west of Jasper, Minnesota where they lived and farmed their entire married life. In the 1950s, Cecil was enjoying farming, and raising cattle, sheep, hogs, and chickens on his place. In the late 1950s, he began working more as a carpenter, working for Earl Hockstedler and Mike McClure. He also began working as a school bus driver for the Jasper Schools. In 1965, he started as the head chef at the Glass House until 1968, at which point he began working with Bob Erickson building houses in the area. In the early 1970s, he began working at the Jasper Elevator and enjoyed his time there until he retired in 1983. At this time he continued monkeying around on the farm and really began a new avenue of carpentry: cabinetry, which he truly enjoyed. After Georgia’s death on November 5, 2016, Cecil continued to live at home until July of 2017 when he entered into the Good Samaritan Communities of Pipestone. On Tuesday, July 30, 2019, he entered into the care of the Pipestone County Hospice House where he passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 1, 2019, at the age of 96 years, three months, and 20 days.

Cecil had been a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Jasper, Minnesota since 1949 and had attended many Masses at Good Sam throughout the last two years. He loved carpentry and gardening, cooking and canning, and enjoyed some time outdoors fishing. He will be remembered for his sometimes snarky sense of humor and his quick wit. He had some excellent one-liners and was always good for a wise crack. He enjoyed singing and had a nice voice. His love of history and good memory made him a great source of arcane information if you struck up a conversation with him.

Cecil is lovingly remembered by his two sons, Lane (Kate) Mousel of Huntsville, Alabama, and their children: Adrienne (Sammy) Lanza and Tyler (Mallory) Mousel and their son, Shephard Lane Mousel, and Alan (Linda) Mousel of Colman, South Dakota, and their daughter, Heather Mousel; and one sister, Frances Mae Grimsley of Brookings, South Dakota. He was preceded in death by his wife, Georgia; his parents; four brothers, Cletus, Lawrence, Silvester, and Emmett; one sister, Florentine Penning; and four infant children.