Shane C. Kieler

LANCASTER - Shane Christopher Kieler, age 38, of Lancaster, Wisconsin, passed away on November 3, 2026 in Dickeyville, WI. Shane was born on September 23, 1988, in Dubuque, Iowa, to Dennis and Cheryl (Sides) Kieler. He graduated from Cuba City High School and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. On May 18, 2013, he married the love of his life, Carissa Kisting, at Holiday Gardens in Potosi. Together, they welcomed three children, Greysen, Sawyer, and Eagan.

As a child, Shane loved fishing with his family in Danbury, WI every summer. He carried on that tradition during family vacations up North as an adult. He created cherished memories with his family, teaching his own children to fish and spending nights laughing around campfires. Throughout the years, he earned his second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and mentored others along the way. Shane dedicated his life to teaching, and over the past 13 years, he taught English to students in Fennimore, Highland, and Potosi. He loved debating “hot takes” with his students, and his favorite book to teach was Of Mice and Men.

Shane loved literature, and a few of his favorite books were The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, 11/22/63 by Stephen King, and Hamlet by William Shakespeare. He was always listening to music, usually songs by Wu-Tang Clan, the Beastie Boys, Kendrick Lamar, The Lumineers, and The Avett Brothers. With his siblings, Chase and Paige, he was often quoting It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Portlandia, and I Think You Should Leave. His favorite movie was Life is Beautiful.

He was sarcastic and witty, and he never missed a chance to correct someone’s grammar. He used the goofiest phrases and called his kids “silly donkins.” He often joked with them, telling them there was a moose on the roof and saying, “It’s your destiny!” about mundane things. He hated having his feet tickled, loved clean sheets, and always used the Oxford Comma.

Carissa will miss many things about the love they shared. Spending time together cooking in the kitchen and talking about their day was a favorite daily ritual. The way he looked at her always filled her heart with love, and his comforting hugs made even the worst days better. She will miss playing pranks on each other and hearing his unforgettable laughter. Carissa will be forever grateful for the life and love they shared. Loving him has been her greatest adventure.

His children will miss their tickle fights on the living room floor, playing in their backyard, stopping by the library, and going to the park together. They will miss his warm smile and his advice. They loved it when he wore his glasses, because they thought he looked nice in them. They will miss seeing the joy on Shane's face each Christmas morning as they opened their presents. Shane loved spending his summers with his boys and reading to them every night. He was their hero. Shane was a natural father and loved his sons with all his heart.

Shane enjoyed cooking, and his specialties were chicken pot pie and smash burgers. His family jokingly called him “the smash daddy.” When he had the time, he enjoyed woodworking, and he built their family’s dining room table, Greysen’s first big boy bed, and their backyard clubhouse with the help of his dad. He loved giving book recommendations to his mom, and he looked forward to their daily phone calls on his drives to work.

In April 2025, Shane was diagnosed with Glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, and he fought valiantly for over 18 months. Shane used an app that he called “Life” to track the number of days he lived after his emergency craniotomy. Since that day, he was given an extra 571 days of life. That is time he almost didn’t have with his children, wife, family, friends, and students. Shane lived those 571 days to the fullest: he had three more brain surgeries; underwent chemotherapy and radiation; ran a 5K; went to Disney with his family; went back to teaching for an additional year; celebrated holidays, two wedding anniversaries, and his children’s birthdays; helped to raise money for the Badger Challenge in support of cancer research; went on trips to Chicago; got to meet his nephew, Julian Shane Hendricks; and traveled to Colorado to see his brother get married.

Shane never took a day for granted. He will be remembered for his uproarious laugh and for how fiercely he loved his family and friends.

The family would like to extend a very special thank you to the team at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, including Dr. Brett Morris, Dr. Ankush Bhatia, Dr. Mustafa Baskaya, Laura, Scott, Dallas, as well as Dr. Daniel Burkett at St. Mary’s Hospital, for their care and compassion.

He is survived by his loving wife, Carissa; their children, Greysen, Sawyer, and Eagan; his parents, Dennis and Cheryl Kieler; his siblings, Chase (Molly) Kieler and Paige (Connor) Hendricks; his sister-in-law, Krystina Kisting; his father-in-law, Kevin Kisting; his nieces and nephews, Sophia, Alivia, Anthony, Ruby, Luca, and Julian; along with other family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Lester and Shirley Kieler; his paternal uncle, Lester “Les” Kieler; and his mother-in-law, Cara Beth Cook.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, November 29, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Holiday Gardens in Potosi, followed by a celebration of life from 1:30– 4:00 p.m. at Holiday Gardens, Potosi.

In lieu of plants and flowers, memorials can be made to the family in support of a scholarship fund to be created in honor of Shane. Kramer-Grau Funeral Homes & Crematory in Lancaster is assisting the family.

“Do the best you can with the time you’re given, because on that day, the day when you have no more tomorrows, you’ll want to have lived a good life, a life that your loved ones can remember fondly.” – Shane Kieler