Lawanda Kaiser

Lawanda "Chickie" Kaiser, 84, of Cape Girardeau died peacefully Saturday, June 4, 2011, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center.

She was born July 23, 1926, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of J.D. and Jewell Stewart. She and Gerald "Buck" Kaiser were married Aug. 31, 1948, in Cape Girardeau. He preceded her in death on July 19, 2006.

Chickie attended Cape Girardeau public schools and graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with bachelor and masters of science degrees in education.

She taught in Sikeston, Mo., Kansas City and at William Woods University before spending the final 28 years of her career as a junior high school physical education teacher in Cape Girardeau. Mrs. Kaiser was known by her students as a dedicated and firm teacher that said what she meant and meant what she said. She had high expectations for them to achieve their fullest potential but always gave time to counsel those who sought her out. Her fellow teachers and friends knew her to be caring, funny and feisty with an irreverent sense of humor. She was one of a kind, competitive in sports and at the bridge table. Her favorite places to be were on the water, the tennis courts or on the dance floor with Buck.

Survivors include a son, Jerry Kaiser and wife Shawn of Scottsdale, Ariz., a daughter, Tara Burns and husband Jim of Neenah, Wis., a daughter, Dana Kaiser and husband Mike Gallagher of Kansas City, Mo.; a son, Mark Kaiser and wife Debra of Jefferson City, Mo.; a brother Dale Stewart and his wife Mary of Stilwell, Kan.; five grandchildren, Brandon Burns and his wife Katy of Minneapolis, Lauren Brooke DiLandri and her husband Garett of La Jolla, Calif., Addie Rachel Burns of Vesancy, France, Lauren Kaiser and her husband Marty Johnson of Jefferson City, and Stewart Kaiser of Jefferson City and three great-grandchildren, Sienna DiLandri, Nyla DiLandri and Quinn Burns.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Ned Stewart, and sisters Katheryn Wulfers and Juanita Haas.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home. Parish prayers and rosary will be at 7.

Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Vincent's Catholic Church with the Rev. Kizito Wenani officiating, followed by burial at St. Mary's Cemetery.

The family wishes to acknowledge the extraordinary care provided by the dedicated and loving staff at Chateau Girardeau. Her sons and daughters would like to particularly express their appreciation and love to their cousin Susan Riehl for her compassionate care and assistance of her Aunt Chickie.

The family requests memorial contributions to the Cape Girardeau Public Schools Foundation.

Online condolences may be made at www.fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.