Teresa Maria Wiegel

Teresa Maria Wiegel, 70, of Bettendorf, Iowa, died at home on February 21, 2026, after a year-long fight with cancer. She would want it noted that she was no warrior in life’s battles. She was “a wuss” in her words - but she did her best to go out the way she lived: with friends nearby and the dice still rolling.

Terry was born on August 13,1955 in Pipestone, Minnesota to Joyce M. Hemerick and Walter D. Monk. She grew up in rural Minnesota and South Dakota in the 1950’s/60’s in circumstances that required grit. Those years shaped her into someone remarkable. She became grounded, generous, and fun.

Terry met her husband, Craig, while on RAGBRAI, an annual bicycle ride across Iowa. Their marriage was built on shared adventure and the occasional spirited debate. Craig favored the scenic route, a philosophy that could turn a 10-minute drive into an hour. Terry did not hesitate to offer feedback.

Their life together included canoeing during blizzards, bike riding around Ireland, tropical vacations, and hanging upside down in a single-engine airplane that apparently used more oil than gas.

They shared many happy memories boating up and down the Mississippi River, though Terry had an uncanny knack for serving as first mate precisely when the lock and dam machinery chose to malfunction - leaving her gripping the bow line and holding several tons of boat in place while Craig (an engineer) offered encouragement from a safe distance.

Terry and Craig raised two children: Angela, her favorite, and Douglas, who sadly is no longer with us and cannot speak for himself. Angela, a middle school science teacher, inherited Terry’s feisty attitude and followed in her mother’s footsteps by marrying an engineer. Douglas, on the other hand, was a musical savant - clearly getting his creative talents from both Terry and Craig.

In the early 1990’s, Terry launched a business in graphic design and marketing. At the time, home computers were novel enough to intimidate most reasonable adults. Undeterred, she taught herself the tools of the digital trade and built a reputation for thoughtful, polished work. Today, her designs are featured in logos and advertisements for companies throughout the Quad Cities area and beyond. If you live along the Mississippi, she’s been a part of your daily life whether you realized it or not. There’s a reasonable chance her ads convinced you to open your free checking account!

Terry loved playing games. She had a gift for turning her dining room into a casino - albeit one furnished with aging chairs that sometimes collapsed mid-round. Everyone knew to show up with a pocket full of $1 bills. At her house, Left, Right, Center was serious business: dollars on the table, dice flying, and plenty of spirited debate about how things were supposed to work. Eight or ten people (or more!) would squeeze in, laugh until they cried, and leave already asking about the next game. Yes, Evan and Jenna… Grandma’s mid-game “clarifications” were questionable. If heaven has a card table, she’s probably already updated the house rules.

Teresa was preceded in death by her son, Douglas Wiegel, and her husband, Craig Wiegel. She is survived by her daughter, Angela (Michael) Stadnik, grandchildren Evan and Jenna, siblings Walter (Annette) Monk, Joan (Roxy) Potter, Michael (Linda, deceased) Abraham, and Scott (Cindy) Abraham, as well as many cherished nieces and nephews. She was also close with Craig’s family and considered them her family as well. For those of you who are not on the 23 & Me matches listed above, please know that Terry gained strength from her wide circle of friends, who were family in every way that mattered.

If you’ve ever cheered on the Iowa Hawkeyes with Terry, put a few dollars on a game of dice, or just laughed across the table with her, consider yourself part of her story.

Visitation will be held from 1:00 to 3:00, Saturday, February 28, 2026, at The Runge Mortuary. Online tributes may be expressed at www.rungemortuary.com.