Riedesel, Francis Clark 1906 - 1953

RIEDESEL, FRANCO, PLATE, MEYER

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 8/5/2021 at 20:31:25

Clayton County Register, Thur., 11 June 1953.

Funeral services for Francis Clark Riedesel, 47, who died at his home in Monona on Wednesday, June 3, following an extended illness, were held in the Methodist church Sunday, June 7. Dr. H. W. Farnham, superintendent of the Sioux City district of the Methodist church, and the Rev. Wayne Hilmer, pastor of the local Methodist church, had charge of the services. Burial was in the Monona City cemetery.

Mr. Riedesel, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Riedesel was born on Dec. 14, 1906, at Bennett, Iowa. He attended the Marsh rural school near Bennett, later graduating from the eighth grade of the Bennett public school and the high school at Tipton, Iowa. During his high school days he was active in all sports sponsored by the school.

He studied at the Keeter school of decorating in Chicago in 1927 and was employed in the display department of Mandel Brothers in Chicago from 1928 to 1929, when he left to enter business in Bennett, Iowa. Here he was associated with C. F. Brockmeyer in a grocery store intil 1935.

He was married to Dorothy Helen Franco, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred C. Franco of Bennett on May 14, 1929.

In 1935 he and his family spent ten months at Crane, Texas, where they operated a dairy farm with his sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Plate.

On returning to Iowa he again worked with Mr. Brockmeyer and for a short period with the Ford Motor Co., operated by Arnold Wuestenberg. In 1940 the family moved to Monona. Since that time he had been a salesman for the John W. Blaul Co., of Cedar Rapids. His work took him to many of the towns in this area where he made many friends.

Mr. Riedesel had served on the school board at Bennett, he had been an active member of the Methodist church and Sunday school at Bennett and Monona, and was active in the Monona-Luana Golf club.

He is survived by his wife; a son, Alan of Albany, Ill.; a daughter, Nancy; a granddaughter, Christine; his mother, Mrs. Christine Riedesel of Bennet, Iowa; three brothers, Arthur of Monona, Harry of Springfield, Ill. and Ralph of Davenport; two sisters, Mrs. Edna Meyer of Lowden and Mrs. Lucy Plate of Bennett.

He was preceded in death by a son, James Franco, who died in infancy; his father; and a brother, Walter.