ROSS, Willard H. 1919-2011

ROSS, GEERDES, MAAS

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 12/27/2014 at 13:10:00

Willard H. Ross, 91, of Wellsburg, passed away on Sunday, September 4, 2011 at the Grundy Care Center in Grundy Center while under the care of Iowa Hospice. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, September 8th at 1:30 P.M. at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Wellsburg with Pastor Jim Carpenter officiating. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 7th from 5 to 7 P.M. at Doyen-Abels Funeral Home in Wellsburg. Burial will follow funeral services at the church cemetery.

Willard was born on December 15, 1919 in Wellsburg, IA, the son of Reike & Grace (Geerdes) Ross. A lifelong Wellsburg resident, Willard attended school in Wellsburg and graduated from Wellsburg High School in 1938. After high school, Willard began working for his uncle John Ross in construction. On June 18, 1941, Willard was united in marriage to Wyone Maas. The couple welcomed three daughters. On September 4, 1942, Willard entered active service with the Army Air Force and served with the Pacific Theater in World War II. After returning home, Willard started a construction business Triple R with his brother and a friend and later started his own construction company, Ross Construction, retiring from here years later.

Willard was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Wellsburg and was a member of the local American Legion Post No. 213 from the time of his separation from the Army Air Force until his death. He had served on the church council, was a former Sunday school superintendent, taught Sunday school for many years and was a former Mayor of Wellsburg. Willard was an avid wood worker and loved to hunt and fish.

He is survived by his daughters Patricia (James) Black of Brodheadsville, PA & Cynthia (Steve) Nielsen of Wellsburg; 9 grandchildren, 3 step-grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren; sister Esther Kasha of Naperville, IL; sister-in-laws Ardis Ross of Des Moines & Harriet Burns of Steamboat Rock, IA. Willard was preceded in death by his parents; wife Wyone; daughter Roberta Rohlfsen; grandson Ross Nielsen; sister Grace Maas; brother Richard "Whitey" Ross.

--Abels Funeral Homes (www.abelsfuneralhomes.com)