Walter “Wally” James Puccio, age 76, of Cascade, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 7, 2026, surrounded by his loving family.

Visitation will be from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Friday, June 12, 2026 at Reiff Funeral Home, Peosta, where a prayer service will be held at 2:30 p.m.. Additional visitation will take place from 11 a.m. until 12 a.m. on Saturday, June 13 at St. Martin’s Catholic Church in Cascade, Iowa where a Mass of Christian burial will be held at Noon. Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Farley, Iowa.

Wally was the third of five children to Charles T. Puccio and Betty (Carr) Puccio-Gibbs born on December 14, 1949, in Dubuque, Iowa, where he attended St. Mary’s Catholic School. The family eventually moved to Epworth, Iowa, where he finished his grade school education at St. Patrick’s Catholic School in Epworth and graduated from Western Dubuque High School in 1968.

Wally married Jane Ann Bertling, the love of his life and soulmate, on October 24, 1970. Their love was indescribable, and instead of fireworks, they fell in love like a sunrise – steady, endless, and breathtaking. When you saw one, you always knew the other was close at hand. Together, they built a lifetime filled with laughter, unwavering love, and countless heartfelt memories. Their greatest accomplishment was their family. They raised five phenomenal children, who later blessed them with twelve perfect grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

He had a generous heart and loved finding small ways to make his family smile. One of his favorite traditions was to give his grandchildren and great grandchildren a silver dollar, or other money, whenever they came to visit. His children were his greatest joy, and he was so proud of them. He never missed an activity they were involved in and even coached their teams.

Wally loved to cook, though his culinary skills could be a bit unpredictable, everyone affectionately called it “adventure eating.” Sometimes his creations were a great success; other times, they would become stories that would be retold for years – like the unforgettable green macaroni and cheese.

He was an avid Hot Wheels collector for over 20 years, amassing over 5000 unopened packages. He also collected Pewter miniature pencil sharpeners in a variety of forms. He was a devoted fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes and Minnesota Vikings, as well as the Chicago Cubs and LA Dodgers. He excelled at horseshoe pitching and loved playing all types of card games. Whether playing with family or friends, he was always a formidable opponent, combining skill, strategy, and just enough determination to keep everyone on their toes. He had a passion for golf and achieved his goal of scoring a hole-in-one on Hole No. 4 at Fillmore Golf Course. Golf was one of the things he missed most when Parkinson’s took away the ability to use his hands and affected his balance. Yet even then, his love for the game and the memories it gave him remained close to his heart.

Wally was the definition of a hard worker and was employed by the Dubuque Stamping and Manufacturing for over 33 years, where he started his career as a laborer. With the help of his company, he attended Loras College at night and later became a member of their management team as the Process and Safety Engineer and eventually promoted to Human Resource and Safety Manager. He retired from the Stamp and continued his career as a Human Resource and Safety Manager at All American Homes in Dyersville, Iowa, and before finding a home at Energy Manufacturing in Monticello, Iowa, where due to health reasons, he could no longer perform his job duties and ended his working career. He took pride in helping employees with work challenges and even after he left, his employers continued contacting him for guidance and advice.

Wally was steadfast in his faith and he shared a deep and abiding relationship with the Lord. He was an active and devoted member of his parish, generously volunteering his times and talents in numerous ways. Over the years, he served as a lector, eucharistic minister, extraordinary minister, acolyte trainer, CCD instructor, RCIA facilitator, CEW participant, and choir member. He was a graduate of the Archdiocesan Lay Ministry Formation program and graciously assisted the clergy with various duties, including wedding rehearsals and church services, in their absence. He felt called to become a deacon, but God had other plans. Instead, he lived out his faith through a life of service to others. This became a passion for taking care of people and was always willing to give a helping hand. While always caring for others, he was one of the first nationally registered EMT providers for Reiff Ambulance Service, he dedicated himself to helping others during some of their most difficult moments, offering comfort, care, and a steady presence when it was needed most.

Wally will be forever loved by his wife of almost 56 years; children, Jasper (Deanna) Puccio of Shawnee, KS, Catherine (Reverend David) Tielbar of Garnavillo, IA, Matthew (Rachel) Puccio of Peosta, IA, Marco (Stefani) Puccio of San Tan Valley, AZ, and Jeff (Amanda) Puccio of Dubuque, IA; his grandchildren, Haley (fiancée, Zachary Todd) and Noah Puccio, Nicholas, Alexander (Brooke), and Ellie Tielbar, Chloe, Claire and Callie Puccio, Zayne and Hayden Puccio, and Cameron and Alexis Puccio; great grandchildren, Lyanna and Keaton Tielbar.

He is also survived by his brothers, Charles Puccio of Epworth, IA, and sister Mary Nell (John) Kertels of Farley, IA; step-siblings; Ronald (JoAnn) Gibbs, Daniel (Madonna) Gibbs, James (Donna) Gibbs, Kenneth, William Gibbs (fiancée, Rebecca Evans), Mary Anne (Chuck) Dunne, Julie (Phil) Meyer, Jane Schilling (& friend, Jeff Weber; his in-laws Sandy (Mike) Coohey of Dubuque, IA, Sherry (Tom) Simon of Cascade, IA, Peggy (Grant) Taylor of Dripping Springs, TX, Billie Sue (Dave) Hummel of Cascade, IA, Vicki (Bill) Takes of Monticello, IA, Jim (Deb) Bertling of Cascade, IA, Kris (Mark) Bideaux of Marion, IA, and Kari (Dave) Stecher of Des Moines, IA; brother-in-law Mark Hostert; sister-in-law, Sharon Green Bertling; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Those waiting for him in heaven with arms open include his parents, Charles and Betty Puccio-Gibbs; step father, Glen E. “Bud” Gibbs; brother and sister-in-law Anthony “Tony” and Kathi, and Samuel “Sam”; sis, Dr. Donna Puccio; step-sister, Connie Gibbs Scott; his parents-in-law, Bill and Evelyn Bertling; brothers-in-law, Jeff Bertling and Mike Bertling; and sister-in-law, Susan Hostert.

Special thanks to his earthly angels; Fr Mark Osterhouse, Tom and Julie Dunne, Nancy Leytem, Diane Koppes, Molly Bergfeld, John Noonan and Kevin Schockemoehl, Hospice of Dubuque caring staff, Jessica, Shelby, Jill, Jennie and Kelli.

The post Walter J. Puccio appeared first on Dubuque Today by the Dubuque Advertiser.

Dubuque Today by the Dubuque Advertiser

Message History

Delivery option(s)