ROSS, Bessie 1896-1971

ROSS, GEERDES, MEYER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 10/29/2012 at 17:15:32

Services Held For Mrs. C. W. Ross Saturday, April 17

Mrs. Claus W. Ross passed away sometime Thursday morning, April 15 at her home in Wellsburg due to an apparent heart attack. She reached the age of 74 years, 4 months and 19 days.

Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon, April 17, at the Doyen Funeral Home and later at the Second Christian Reformed Church. Rev. John H. Elenbaas was officiating clergyman. Two duet numbers were sung by Mrs. Ivan Slifer and Mrs. Harold Okones. Mrs. Clarence Beecroft was organist and Mrs. Ray Toomsen was pianist. Flower attendants were Miss Lydia Spieker and Mrs. Jack Deters. Pallbearers were Willard Ross, Richard Ross, Otto Luiken, "Dutch" G. G. Riekena, and Henry Isebrand. Interment was in the Shiloh Cemetery in Wellsburg.

She was born Bessie Geerdes, on a farm in Hardin County near Steamboat Rock, on November 26, 1896, the daughter of Henry and Annie (Meyer) Geerdes. She attended the rural school in the area. For a short time she attended the Steamboat Rock High School. On August 26, 1948, she was united in marriage to Claus W. Ross at Eldora. Following their marriage they made their home in Wellsburg. They lived all of their married life in Wellsburg. Mr. Ross passed away on March 30th of this year.

She was active in the American Legion Auxiliary, Ashing-Jaspers Post 213 of Wellsburg, having been a charter member. She was also active in the Ladies' Auxiliary of the Grundy County Barracks 1418, World War One Veterans.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one brother, George Geerdes, and one sister, Grace, Mrs. Rieke W. Ross.

Those left to mourn her passing are: three sisters, Mrs. Gertie Isebrand, now confined to nursing home in Britt; Mrs. Alice Riekena, now confined to a nursing home in Lake Mills; Mrs. Bertha Berends of Steamboat Rock and a host of other relatives and friends.

--The Grundy Register/Wellsburg Herald (Grundy Center, Iowa), 22 April 1971, section 2, pg 1