Shields, William A.

SHIELDS, GARDINER, WIENECKE, ESTILOW, WISE, TILLMAN, HAGGE, FINCH

Posted By: Ruth Maring - Volunteer (email)
Date: 12/1/2007 at 15:24:55

Shields, William A.

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — William A. Shields, 93, of Indian Wells, California, formerly of Clinton, Iowa, died Thursday, November 8, 2007, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa. Private services will be Monday at Springdale Cemetery with Pastor Stacy Grau officiating. Military honors will be conducted by Clinton AMVETS Post 28. Serving as pallbearers will be Ron Huffman, Eric Estilow, Scott Shields, Ryan Shields, Keith Hagge, and Brandon Kaufmann. The Clinton Chapel Snell-Zornig Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.William Arthur Shields was born on June 17, 1914, in Augusta, Wisconsin, the son of Michael John and Blanche (Gardiner) Shiel. He married Dorothy Arline Wienecke on February 21, 1948, in Chicago, Illinois, at St. Peter's Lutheran Church Parsonage. They were married and cared for each other for 56 years. She died May 6, 2004. He graduated from Augusta High School, Augusta, Wisconsin, in 1930. In 1932, he ran his own furniture store in Winona, Minnesota. In the mid to late l930s he was an agent and traveled with the Walter L. Main Circus and also the Tom Mix Show. In 1940, he enlisted in the United States Navy, serving in the North Sea, Panama Canal and the Caribbean during WWII. His name appears on the Eisenhower Walk of Fame for Veterans in Indian Wells, Ca. He worked for Household Finance in Chicago, Illinois. He worked for Sears Roebuck and Company in Dubuque, Iowa. He helped open the Clinton Sears and Roebuck in l953, and worked there until l968, taking early retirement after 25 years with the company. He also helped open the Davenport, Iowa, store. He was awarded distinction in his zone for Sears as a top manager in sales. He was a member of the Sears 10 Year Club.He was a former member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Clinton where he would usher and help with church projects. He was a member of the Circus Historical Society, Inc. He belonged to and helped with Indian Guides, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts. He loved his family, travel, music, silent movies and the circus.He and his wife and family were prominent business owners of Shields Furniture Warehouse Showroom in Palm Springs, California, for 28 years. He is survived by his daughter, Susan Estilow of Palm Desert, California (Son, Eric Estilow); two sons, Gary Shields (Carol) of Coralville, Iowa, and Indian Wells, Ca.) and Wayne (Robin) Shields of Mountain Top, Missouri (and Montana); four grandchildren, Eric Estilow (Shirley), Rebecca Shields, Scott Shields, and Ryan Shields and one stepgranddaughter, Angie Wise; and two great-grandchildren, Olivia and Isabella Estilow. Also, survivors include brother-in-law, Hank Wienecke (Dottie) of Waco, Texas, and brother-in-law, Earl Tillman (son, Greg) of Rancho Mirage, California, and favorite nephew, Keith Hagge (Patty) of Dubuque, Iowa, and favorite niece Jayne Finch (Gary) of Waukesha, Wisconsin; and many family friends and other relatives. He is preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, four sisters and his wife. The family requests that in lieu of flowers that memorials be made to the Disabled American Veterans or other deserving organization in William’s honor. Online condolences may be expressed to William's family by visiting his obituary at www.snellzornig.com.Death date: Nov. 8, 2007
Published in the Clinton Herald from 11/9/2007 - 11/12/2007