Elmer P. Ries 1927-2012

RIES, CONRAD, SCHERBRING, WOLTER, STANER, CURRY, KEPPLER, LINK, WEIDEMANN, SCHMIDT, LUCAS

Posted By: Cheryl Moonen (email)
Date: 1/22/2015 at 21:27:32

Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, IA) - Tuesday, October 23, 2012

DYERSVILLE, Iowa - Elmer P. Ries, 84, of Dyersville, died Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012, at Oak Crest Manor, Dyersville.

A Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica, Dyersville, with the Rev. Noah Diehm and the Rev. Phil Kruse officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. today at Kramer Funeral Home, Dyersville, where a vigil service will be at 5 p.m. and a Knights of Columbus rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m.

Elmer was born on Oct. 27, 1927, in Luxemburg, son of Mike and Sophia (Conrad) Ries. He was raised in Holy Cross and received his first holy communion in Luxemburg.

At the age of 18, he moved from the family farm to Dyersville to work for local farmers Carl Kluesner and Art Pape.

Elmer met Anna Marie Scherbring in 1947, and they enjoyed attending dances together. They were united in marriage on Nov. 8, 1949, in Petersburg. Together with their six children, they farmed in Petersburg for 31 years. He also was a janitor and bus driver for Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic School. Upon moving to Dyersville in 1980, he worked for Hentges Hardware for 13 years.

Elmer had a good heart and could never say "no" to anyone who needed his help. He loved the holidays, especially Christmas, because he would put up LOTS of outside decorations. Elmer enjoyed playing cards with family and friends, making puzzles, playing solitaire, bingo and doing word search books. After retirement, he loved making lawn ornaments and Christmas ornaments.

He was a member of Knights of Columbus Council 1734.

Elmer will be greatly missed by his wife, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and anyone who knew him.

Surviving are his wife of almost 63 years, Annie; six children, Rita (Dennis) Wolter, of Guttenberg, Darlene (James) Staner, of Colesburg, Michael (Doris) Ries, of Dubuque, Martin (Carol) Ries, of Dyersville, Marvin (Darlene) Ries, of Delaware, and Kathleen (Robert) Curry, of Clinton, Utah; 25 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; a sister, Delores Tigges, of Dubuque; and two sisters-in-law, Clementina Wolf, of Mount Angel, Ore., and Rose Hansel, of Earlville.

He was preceded in death by his parents; grandson, Brian Ries; siblings, Lucille (Harold) Keppler, Ed (Viola) Ries, Rose (Arnold) Link, Martha (Herbert) Weidemann, Gilbert (Armella) Ries, Marie (Wilfred) Schmidt, Sally (Leander) Lucas and Florence (Irvin) Keppler; and in-laws, Oscar Tigges, Catherine (Frank) Wolf, George Wolf, John (Anita) Scherbring, Carl Hansel, Christina and Lawrence Scherbring.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.kramerfuneral.com.