Ernest Martin Kress

KRESS, SLOAN, CANNON, WITTROCK, OLSON

Posted By: dbeier (email)
Date: 3/27/2008 at 19:53:47

Quasqueton - Ernest Martin Kress, 71 years old, of rural Quasqueton, Iowa, died on Tuesday, March 25, 2008, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, from tongue and throat cancer.

He was born on January 26, 1937, in Buchanan County, Iowa, the son of George Edward and Olive Elizabeth (Sloan) Kress. He graduated from the Rowley, Iowa, high school with the Class of 1955. He then served in the U.S. Army as a member of the Old Guard honor guard at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

In addition to the regular duties of the Old Guard, he took part in the Inaugural events for President Eisenhower and the saluting battery for the visit of Queen Elizabeth II of England. On June 16, 1957, he and the former Wanda Jean Cannon were married at the Cannon family home in rural Winthrop, Iowa. Mr. Kress was a farmer in Buchanan County and also worked at Kress Blacksmithing in Quasqueton, Iowa. He never really retired.

Mr. Kress was a Volunteer Fireman in Quasqueton for 33 years and a member of the East Buchanan Telephone Cooperative Board of Directors for 29 years. He was a member of the Union Protestant Church in Quasqueton and served on the church board for many years.

In 1996, he was honored as the Buchanan County Senior Hogman of the Year. Mr. Kress was primarily interested in his family (especially his grandchildren) and farming.

Mr. Kress is survived by his wife of 50 years, Wanda, 1 daughter, Becky (Rex) Wittrock of Alta, Iowa, 2 sons, Curtis (Patty) Kress of Center Point, Iowa, and Cory (Renae) Kress of Independence, Iowa, and 4 grandchildren, Tiffany Kress, Austin Kress, Jeremy Kress, and Evan Kress. He is also survived by 1 sister, Iva Olson of Independence, Iowa, and 1 brother, Donald Kress of Belle Plaine, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his parents, 2 brothers, Glen Kress and Wilbur Kress ( in infancy), 1 sister-in-law, Barbara Kress, and 1 brother-in-law, Norman Olson.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m., on Saturday, March 29, 2008, at the Union Protestant Church in Quasqueton, Iowa, with Rev. Kevin Jennings and Rev. Carol Kress officiating. Honorary

Casket Bearers will be Burl Johnson, Everett Jensen, Lowell Kress, Duane Stark, Richard Franck, and Erwin Kress. Casket Bearers will be Tiffany Kress, Austin Kress, Jeremy Kress, Evan Kress, Dustin Bena, Dean Kress, and Larry Coleman. Burial will be in Quasqueton Cemetery in Quasqueton, Iowa.

Friends may call after 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 27th, or after 3 p.m. on Friday, March 28th, at White Funeral Home in Independence.