Coulee Courier

Dirk L. Gasterland Obituary

Dirk Leroy Gasterland passed away on July 1, 2025, at age 81 at Bethany Riverside Nursing Home. He was born on July 6, 1943, in Richfield, MN. Dirk was a survivor of the Polio epidemic and graduated from Richfield High School. He then graduated from Hamline University in St. Paul where he studied economics.

Dirk’s career centered around banking, and he moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin, in 1986 to assume the position as President and CEO of Coulee Bank, where he worked until he retired. He was named Banker of the Year in 2002 by the Community Bankers of Wisconsin.

Dirk spent much of his adult life in service to his community. He joined the Minnesota National Guard and retired as a Colonel. He was later promoted to a Brevet General to honor his years of service. Dirk’s community involvement includes serving on the boards of the Riverland Girl Scouts, Gateway Boy Scouts, Family & Children’s Center, La Crosse Chamber of Commerce, La Crosse Rotary East, Great Rivers United Way, the UW- La Crosse Foundation, and many more.

He was an automobile enthusiast and collector with a particular love of Mustangs and 1934 Fords.

Dirk is preceded in death by his parents, Lorin Alva and Emma “Swen” Gasterland. 

He is survived by his wife, Rita Gasterland; children, Dirk (Wendy) Gasterland, Jennifer (Eric) VandenBrink; siblings Jan (Lynne) Gasterland, Hans (Barb) Gasterland, Gretchen Gilbertson; and grandchildren Sara (John) Braam, Brianna Gasterland, Rachel (Corbin) Munger, Jacob (Emma) Gasterland, Gabrielle VandenBrink, Chantry Coffield, and Asher Coffield.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 10, 2025 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 4141 Mormon Coulee Road, La Crosse. Pastor Harald Bringsjord will officiate and interment will be in the church columbarium. A visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until time of service.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church or Bethany Riverside Nursing Home.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.dickinsonfuneralhomes.com. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Dirk, please visit our floral store.

Since the passing of my father, Dirk L. Gasterland, my family and I have been deeply touched by the outpouring of support. We sincerely thank everyone who reached out with kind words and condolences.

My father, Dirk L., found his home in La Crosse, making the community his family. He came to Coulee Bank in 1986 and became CEO the following year. His love for the La Crosse community ran deep as he poured his energy into several non-profits in the community. He focused on working with organizations that touched many people. He served on various boards, including the University of Wisconsin La Crosse, Gunderson Lutheran, Riverland Girl Scouts, Gateway Boy Scouts, Family & Children’s Center, La Crosse Chamber of Commerce, La Crosse Rotary East, Great Rivers United Way, and he was a founding member of the Shelby American Automobile Club.

Shortly after my dad retired, we sat down together because he was getting calls to spend more time on volunteer efforts. While he wanted to continue at that pace, he struggled to say yes to the many requests. When we reviewed his schedule, he was spending 120 hours a month volunteering on nonprofit boards and various other volunteer opportunities. Giving back was his full-time job after retirement.

Dirk L. proudly served in the Minnesota National Guard for over 29 years and was later honored with the title of Brevet General in recognition of his outstanding contributions following his retirement. He was also awarded the prestigious Silver Antelope Award by the Boy Scouts of America—one of the highest honors in Scouting. In the award’s 80+ year history, fewer than 3,300 individuals have received this distinction, placing him in the esteemed company of recipients such as President Gerald Ford, Ernie Banks, and Ross Perot.

If you knew my dad, you probably remember his love for cars. He owned over 60 cars in his lifetime and held on to 24 of them for most of his life. When asked what his favorite vehicle was, he would always say, “Whichever one I’m driving”.

His legacy lives on not only in the community he served so passionately but in the lives he touched with generosity, humility, and an unwavering drive to do good.

 ~Dirk Gasterland, CEO

From Full House to New Chapter: Is It Time to Downsize?

As summer winds down and fall approaches, many families are preparing for a big milestone—sending kids off to college. For some, it’s the first time the house will be a little quieter. For others, it may be the last child leaving the nest. No matter where you are in the journey, this transition often sparks a bigger question: Is it time to downsize?



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Reach out to Kris Farwell and her team if you are ready to purchase a home.

Coulee Bank. Bank with Confidence. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. NMLS#410835

Coulee Bank has branches in Minnesota and Wisconsin and is excited to offer lending in all 50 states.

Reach out to Kris Farwell and her team if you are ready to purchase a home.

Coulee Bank. Bank with Confidence. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. NMLS#410835

Discover Your Money Personality: A Guide to Financial Success

Understanding your money personality can greatly impact how you manage finances. Each personality has its strengths and weaknesses, and recognizing them can help develop a more balanced and effective approach to financial management. The five money personalities are: the Shopper, the Saver, the Big Spender, the Investor, and the Debtor. We talked with a few of our employees to create this 5-part series. Last month, we featured an article about the Debtor Personality. This month, we are featuring the Investor Personality. 

When it comes to building wealth, no two investors are the same. However, we can categorize most people into two distinct mindsets: business owners and traditional W-2 employees. These two groups approach saving, investing, and long-term planning differently, and understanding where you fit can make all the difference in how you prepare for your financial future.

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Avoiding Financial Mistakes in Your 20s

Your 20s are an exciting time—full of first jobs, new apartments, and maybe even buying your first car or home. But it’s also a stage where financial missteps can quietly creep in and lead to long-term setbacks. From building credit to saving for the future, the financial choices you make early on lay the foundation for everything that comes next.

To help you navigate these early decisions, we sat down with Mai Vue, Retail Operations Manager at our Onalaska branch, to get her expert advice on common money mistakes and how to avoid them.



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Tips from IT

Back-to-School Scams & Device Safety: Protecting Your Family This Fall



As students gear up for a new school year—whether it's elementary, high school, or college—scammers are getting ready too. From phishing emails to fake shopping sites, cybercriminals often take advantage of the back-to-school rush to trick parents, students, and even teachers. Here's how to stay safe.



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Employee Spotlight

We are incredibly grateful for all of our employees. They work hard and make significant contributions that enrich our company culture. This month, we recognize Dan Motoyoshi, SVP Business Banking Officer, St. Paul, MN.

At Coulee Bank, doing the right thing for our clients and colleagues starts with people like Dan Motoyoshi, SVP Business Banking Officer in St. Paul.

When Motoyoshi started college, he planned to become a doctor, but after a few biology courses and the thought of going to school for eight more years, being a physician was no longer appealing. He switched his studies to economics and started working part-time as a teller at a bank.

He spent two years in that role, and after graduation, his branch manager encouraged him to apply for the credit analyst position. He started working there and stayed for about three and a half years. It was a fun environment and a great fit, even though he wasn’t initially sure banking was the right path. What he did know was that he wanted to learn more about businesses, especially local businesses, and find a company where he could grow.

As he continued in the banking world, he discovered how much he enjoyed it, particularly the combination of analytical work and relationship-building that comes with lending. He appreciates digging into credit analysis just as much as he enjoys listening to entrepreneurs share their stories. For him, it’s the perfect balance between numbers and people.

He says, “Often, you meet individuals who lean heavily toward either the analytical side or the sales side, but I believe in blending the two. It’s important to have a mix of analytical skills and interpersonal skills to help solve problems.”

The most influential person in Motoyoshi’s career was the first chief credit officer he worked for. “He was intelligent, yet very calm and able to work well with a wide range of personalities,” he says. “He made people feel cared for, and he was someone I could truly learn and grow from.”

Motoyoshi has been at Coulee Bank for almost three years. What stands out most is the team and the culture. “There’s a strong sense of pride among the people who work here; everyone is committed to doing their best and supporting one another. That spirit of collaboration and dedication truly sets Coulee Bank apart from other organizations.”

Outside of work, Motoyoshi enjoys time with family, fishing, and a creative hobby or two. One of the most meaningful vacations he’s taken was a trip to Japan with his dad. They spent time traveling around the country, visiting his father’s childhood home, and even taking a day trip to a temple where his father’s brothers are buried. It was a special experience to see Japan through his dad’s eyes, and Dan appreciated the chance to connect with both the country and his family, including his aunt and cousin, who live in his father’s childhood home.

Motoyoshi and his wife, Jennifer, have been married for 17 years and share their home with four dogs. “We go on a lot of dog walks in the summer,” he says with a smile. One of their pups was adopted from a nephew, and while most of their dogs are middle-aged, the newest addition is younger, full of energy, and keeps things lively.

When he’s not walking dogs, Motoyoshi enjoys fly fishing and woodworking. Some of his favorite spots include Whitewater State Park and the Driftless Region of southeastern Minnesota, where he loves hanging out by the river. His wife enjoys fishing and the outdoors, too. “There’s nothing quite like standing in a cool stream with sunshine on your face and fresh air all around.”

At home, Motoyoshi carved out a woodworking nook in the garage where he creates smaller furniture pieces like benches and intricate cutting boards with unique end-grain patterns. “There’s nothing like the smell of fresh-cut wood,” he says. “It’s relaxing, creative, and satisfying.”

Dan, we appreciate all you do at Coulee Bank, and we wish you much success in your career with us.

Customer Spotlight

Thank you to our AMAZING customers for choosing us for all your banking needs! We are grateful for your loyalty, support, and trust in our products and services. Here's to many more years of building a strong relationship together!

When you walk into Whole Family Chiropractic in St. Paul, you’re stepping into more than just a clinic; it’s a place for healing.

Dr. Tye Moe, owner and chiropractor, explains his approach using a simple yet powerful analogy, “Think of your nervous system like the circuit breaker in your home,” he says. “If the power to a room isn’t working, it’s not the lightbulb, it’s the circuit. Your body is the same way. If a body part isn’t functioning properly, we look to see if the brain’s signals are being blocked. If we can ‘flip the switch’ on that nerve connection, the body can start healing.”

At Whole Family Chiropractic, care centers around the idea that the body is built to heal itself as long as nothing interferes. When you think of traditional chiropractic care, you typically associate it with bone care: “twist, turn, pop, crack.” However, Dr. Moe’s practice takes a neurological approach. Using gentle, specialized tools to measure the spine temperature and muscle energy, he can determine where the stress signal resides in the body and provide neurological chiropractic care. “When that stress signal clears,” he says, “the brain tells the body it’s okay to let go of tension, and things can return to normal.”

Roughly 45% of his practice focuses on pediatric care. Dr. Moe shared the story of a 13-year-old boy with autism who struggled with stress, coordination, and asthma. “He struggled to sleep past four in the morning, he couldn’t write the number three in class, or climb a ropes course because of his asthma,” Moe recalled. “After starting care, he began sleeping in, breathing better, and eventually came in proudly showing us how he tied his shoes for the first time. It was a big moment—not just for him, but for all of us.”

But it’s not just children who benefit. Dr. Moe sees whole families because stress affects us all. “Our world is so fast-paced,” he says. “People are in fight or flight mode, and their nervous systems get overwhelmed. We help open up that healing potential again.”

To determine if someone is a good fit for care, Whole Family Chiropractic uses safe, non-invasive scanning technology to measure nerve activity and stress levels. “We always start by looking at the data,” Moe says. “It tells us if and where we can help.”

As a small business owner, Dr. Moe appreciates the personal relationship he has with Coulee Bank. “In 2017, when we expanded our office, Cal Christensen at Coulee Bank helped us get the small business loan we needed,” he says. “And even now, the team knows me. I’ll pull up to the drive-thru, and Mark Landy, who is at the teller window, is already greeting me by name and has things ready. It’s that kind of service that makes the difference.”

That same personal connection he values in his bank is reflected in how he cares for his patients, one relationship at a time. Whether he’s helping a child sleep through the night, a parent feel less stressed, or a community stay well, Dr. Moe is committed to supporting every family he sees. “It’s not just about getting rid of pain; it’s about helping people function at their best.”

We love a reason to celebrate with our colleagues!

Happy Birthday to all our amazing Coulee Bank co-workers!

Here's to another year of hard work, laughter, and teamwork. Wishing you all the best on your special day. Let's make it a celebration to remember!

Happy Work-i-versary to our amazing colleagues!

It's been an incredible journey with each and every one of you. Your hard work, dedication, and positive energy make our team unstoppable. Here's to many more years of success and growth together!

Customer Testimonials

Financially Free Gen-Z Podcast

Join your hosts, Rachel Munger and Joshua Herrmann, as they discuss the financial questions and topics prevalent to Generation Z. This podcast is brought to you by Coulee Bank. Member FDIC.

Upcoming Events

It’s that time of year again—our annual School Supplies Drive is here! From now until August 15th, drop off essential supplies at any Coulee Bank location.

We're proudly supporting Interfaith Action, Rochester Women's Shelter, and Back 2 School in La Crosse. Let’s make a difference together! Check with your local branch for a list of needed items.

We've Been Nominated!

We’re honored to be nominated for Best Bank in the Post Bulletin’s Best of the Best 2025 in Rochester, MN!

At Coulee Bank, doing the right thing for our clients and coworkers is more than a tagline, it’s how we show up every day.

We’re proud to serve this amazing community with local, personal, and reliable banking, and we’d be honored to earn your vote!

Cast Your Vote Before August 4th! Click Here!

Thank you for your continued support!

Disclaimer - All content contained in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon to make any financial, accounting, tax, legal or other related decisions. Each person must consider his or her objectives, risk tolerances and level of comfort when making financial decisions and should consult a competent professional advisor prior to making any such decisions. Any opinions expressed through the content in this newsletter are the opinions of the particular author only.