Leesa Kay (Dettbarn) Stoffers, age 67, of Coon Rapids, Iowa passed away peacefully on Friday, September 20, 2024 at her home after a courageous four- and one-half-year battle with Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer, with her husband, son and family beside her.
Funeral services will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 26, 2024 at the United Methodist Church in Coon Rapids, with Pastor Kevin Evers officiating. Burial will be held at the Westside Cemetery following the luncheon at the Coon Rapids Legion Building. Pallbearers are nephews Keith Crawford, Mitchell Dettbarn, Aaron Nicolaisen, Josh Kaler, Noah Stoffers and Nathan Curran. Honorary Pallbearers are nieces April Thelen, Tracy Lohry, Jessie Riesberg, Jill Dettbarn, Amanda Kaler, Sophie Stoffers, and Sadie Stoffers.
Visitation will be at the United Methodist Church from 5:00-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 25, 2024. An additional visitation will be held prior to the funeral service from 9:30 a.m. until the service begins. All those attending the visitation are encouraged to wear CUBS, CYCLONES or CRUSADER gear.
In lieu of flowers, you are welcome to make donations to the Leesa Stoffers Scholarship Fund for graduating CR-B students.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Coon Rapids and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com.
Born on November 15, 1956, in Carroll, Iowa, Leesa was the daughter of Myron and Dorothy (Ewoldt) Dettbarn. She was baptized and confirmed in the United Church of Christ, Westside, Iowa. Leesa grew up on a farm north of Westside and graduated with honors from Ar-We-Va Westside, where she and Rich were classmates, and recently attended their 50th Class Reunion. Leesa attended Buena Vista College where she earned her BS in Mathematics and Physical Education in 1978. Later in her teaching career, she earned her MS in Education in 1993 from Iowa State University.
Leesa was married to Richard Fred Stoffers on August 2, 1980, at the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Wall Lake, Iowa with Pastors Bill and Roxie Davis officiating. On July 13, 1991, son Jake Daniel Stoffers was born in Newton. The family enjoyed many sporting events together, especially attending, watching and rooting on the Iowa State Cyclones, Chicago Cubs, and her present hometown school and team, the Coon Rapids-Bayard Crusaders. The family also has a beloved and adorable four-year-old English Cream Golden Retriever, Fizer; a surprise 40th anniversary gift from son Jake, in August 2020. Leesa’s loves also included playing any and all games, especially the card game TIC, and attending concerts (Tim McGraw) with her special support group: Ann, Diane, Kim and Mary.
Leesa was a passionate, proud, exceptional teacher-leader, an inspiring role model and dynamic coach of young student-athletes at various Iowa public schools. Over the course of her 37-year career, Leesa taught & coached at Gilbert, Carroll, Paton-Churdan, Knoxville, Mingo, Colfax-Mingo, Newton, and Coon Rapids-Bayard, finally retiring from teaching in 2015. However, Leesa continued to be a treasured, loyal substitute teacher even while battling breast cancer.
Leesa’s (Coach Stoffers) true passion, besides teaching math, was coaching volleyball. It should be noted that she was on the coaching staff for six different teams, at five different schools that went to the State Tournament (i.e. volleyball, basketball, and softball). Leesa was known as an educator and coach that had a wonderful way of reaching out and ensuring that all of her H.S. math students, as well as the student-athletes she coached, gained great confidence, were very well-prepared, and had the skills to be successful (on & off the court). Most importantly, she made sure each of her student-athletes felt like they were an integral part of the T.E.A.M. Coach Stoffers was described as treating every player like they were her daughter.
Leesa was a member of T.T.T. of Coon Rapids, the Iowa High School Volleyball Coaches Association, and the Iowa Retired School Personnel Association. She was an active and faithful member of the United Methodist Church; volunteering, baking, helping and serving at funerals, and driving senior citizens to their medical appointments, etc.
Left to cherish her memory is her husband Rich of 44 years; son Jake of Dubuque; sisters Linda Nicolaisen (Steve) of Correctionville, Lila Crawford (Kenny) of Vail; brother Larry Dettbarn (Mary) of Carroll; brothers-in-law James Stoffers (Clark) of Cathedral City, CA.; Jay Stoffers (Jennifer) of Prior lake, MN; sisters-in-law Bev Kaler (Greg) of St. Cloud, MN; Melanie Curran (Doug) of Geneseo, IL; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Leesa was preceded in death by her parents, Myron and Dorothy Dettbarn; her parents in-law, Henry and Blondina Stoffers; and nephew Jason Nicolaisen.