Cletis W. Gress
April 19, 1932 — February 18, 2010
Cletis Wayne Gress was born on April 19, 1932, in Hancock, Iowa, to Austin and Margery (Schmidt) Gress. He was baptized and confirmed at Hancock Methodist Church. He attended Hancock Schools and graduated with the Class of 1950.
He was united in marriage to DeMaris Faubel on June 15, 1958 in Wisner, Nebraska. Three sons were born to this union: Mark, Bruce, and Jeff.
Cletis entered into the United States Navy on September 12, 1951. He received the National Defense Service Medal for his service during the Korean War. He was discharged on September 6, 1955 and returned to Iowa.
In 1961, he became the owner of Gress Locker in Hancock and operated it for fifty years with the help of his family.
Cletis enjoyed camping, fishing, hunting, and riding horses. He enjoyed playing with the grandkids, especially games like bean bag toss, botche ball, and croquet. He was a member of the Nishna Valley Conservation Club and accepted the 2009 Wildlife Conservation Award. He was also a volunteer fireman and a city council member in Hancock for many years. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge #335 A.F. for forty-six years.
Cletis died on Thursday, February 18, 2010, at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, Iowa, having attained the age of seventy-seven years, nine months, and thirty days. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Wilbur Gress, and his sisters: Dorothy Trulson, Wilma Rader, and Leota Pash.
He is survived by his wife of fifty-one years Dee Gress of Hancock, Iowa; sons: Mark Gress and his wife Kim of Avoca, Iowa, Bruce Gress and his wife Peggy of Riverton, Wyoming, and Jeff Gress and his wife Nancy of Hancock; grandsons: Jonathan, David, Brian, Travis, Will, Jon, and Joe; two great-grandchildren; sisters Janice Taylor of Oakland, Iowa and Norma Hester of Sheridan, Arkansas; other family members and many friends.
Pastor Melissa Drake officiated the 2:00 PM funeral service on Monday, February 22, 2010 at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Avoca, Iowa. Listed as honorary casket bearers were Robert Jacobsen, Carl Brandenburg, Dennis Jacobsen, Frank McCann, Don Scheffler, Kenneth martin, Pete Wallrich, Ralph Pierce, Art Rieber, John Butler, Don Carter, and Phil Byrne. Serving as casket bearers were David Gress, Jonathan Gress, Brian Gress, Jim Feller, Dennis Taylor, Scott Feller, Will Gress, and Kevin Pash. Military Rites were conducted by the American Legion Post No. 720 at Oak Hill Cemetery in Hancock, Iowa.
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He was united in marriage to DeMaris Faubel on June 15, 1958 in Wisner, Nebraska. Three sons were born to this union: Mark, Bruce, and Jeff.
Cletis entered into the United States Navy on September 12, 1951. He received the National Defense Service Medal for his service during the Korean War. He was discharged on September 6, 1955 and returned to Iowa.
In 1961, he became the owner of Gress Locker in Hancock and operated it for fifty years with the help of his family.
Cletis enjoyed camping, fishing, hunting, and riding horses. He enjoyed playing with the grandkids, especially games like bean bag toss, botche ball, and croquet. He was a member of the Nishna Valley Conservation Club and accepted the 2009 Wildlife Conservation Award. He was also a volunteer fireman and a city council member in Hancock for many years. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge #335 A.F. for forty-six years.
Cletis died on Thursday, February 18, 2010, at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, Iowa, having attained the age of seventy-seven years, nine months, and thirty days. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Wilbur Gress, and his sisters: Dorothy Trulson, Wilma Rader, and Leota Pash.
He is survived by his wife of fifty-one years Dee Gress of Hancock, Iowa; sons: Mark Gress and his wife Kim of Avoca, Iowa, Bruce Gress and his wife Peggy of Riverton, Wyoming, and Jeff Gress and his wife Nancy of Hancock; grandsons: Jonathan, David, Brian, Travis, Will, Jon, and Joe; two great-grandchildren; sisters Janice Taylor of Oakland, Iowa and Norma Hester of Sheridan, Arkansas; other family members and many friends.
Pastor Melissa Drake officiated the 2:00 PM funeral service on Monday, February 22, 2010 at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Avoca, Iowa. Listed as honorary casket bearers were Robert Jacobsen, Carl Brandenburg, Dennis Jacobsen, Frank McCann, Don Scheffler, Kenneth martin, Pete Wallrich, Ralph Pierce, Art Rieber, John Butler, Don Carter, and Phil Byrne. Serving as casket bearers were David Gress, Jonathan Gress, Brian Gress, Jim Feller, Dennis Taylor, Scott Feller, Will Gress, and Kevin Pash. Military Rites were conducted by the American Legion Post No. 720 at Oak Hill Cemetery in Hancock, Iowa.
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