LeRoy Jacob Gass 1914-2009

GASS, KLUSS, AANES, KLEIN, OHARA, ELDER, OEHME

Posted By: Nancy (email)
Date: 10/5/2009 at 18:28:33

LeRoy J. Gass, 95, of West Union died of age-related causes on Monday, Sept. 21, 2009, at the West Union Good Samaritan Center.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, at West Clermont Lutheran Church, Clermont, with the Rev. Norm Bauer officiating.

With Sara Strong as organist and John O. Falb as vocalist, music included "On Eagle's Wings" and "The Lord's Prayer."

Burial was in the Postville Cemetery. Larry Zweibohmer, Charles Shipton, David Jermeland, John Falb, David Swale, and John Dessel were the casket bearers.

Burnham-Wood Funeral Home, West Union, was in charge of arrangements.

LeRoy Jacob "Herbie" Gass, son of Edwin and Louise (Kluss) Gass, was born June 25, 1914, in Postville, Clayton County. He was baptized into the Lutheran faith and confirmed by the Reverend Finck at St. Paul's Lutheran Church.

He attended Postville High School.

LeRoy was employed at Falb Motor Company in Postville when he entered the U.S. Army on May 2, 1941. After basic training at Camp Claiborne, La., and after completing automotive mechanics courses at Ft. Benning, Ga., he was sent overseas.

LeRoy's Army duty took him to Ireland, Scotland, England and Africa. During the invasion of North Africa, LeRoy was taken prisoner at Faid Pass in Africa. He was held for two years and three months in Germany at Stalag 7A Mooseburg, 3B Feirstenburg and 3A Luckenwald. He received his honorable discharge in September 1945 and was later presented five medals.

Automobiles were a special interest of LeRoy's throughout his life.

In 1950, he moved to West Union, where he became a partner of West Union Motor Company and worked as a service manager. He continued on with John Falb Company, retiring in June 1979.

On Feb. 13, 1954, LeRoy was wed to Clarice Aanes by the Reverend Knudsen at West Clermont Lutheran Church.

He was a member of the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Northeast Chapter of Ex-Prisoners of War, and West Clermont Lutheran Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Romelda Klein; a brother-in-law, Lawrence Klein; and a nephew, Leo O'Hara.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Clarice, of West Union; a niece, Kathryn (Robert) Elder of Waterloo; a nephew, Michael (Rita) Klein of Palatine, Ill., great-nieces Cindy Oehme, Stephanie, McVeigh, Lisa, Traci and Lynn O'Hara; great-nephews Robert, Michael, Joseph, James and Matt Elder, Michael and Steven Klein, Michael, Mark and David O'Hara; many cousins and friends.

Fayette County Union - October 1, 2009