DASCH, Sylvester J. "Sonny" 1937-2001

DASCH, BLONIGAN, ULRICH, CILFONE

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 6/8/2010 at 19:31:40

Sylvester J. "Sonny" Dasch, 64

Sylvester J. "Sonny" Dasch, 64, Manly, died Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2001, at the Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City. A funeral mass was held Monday at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Manly, with Rev. David Kucera officiating. Burial was in the Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Manly with military graveside honors by the Edward Tosel American Legion Post 110, Manly.

Sylvester J. "Sonny" Dasch was born on March 1, 1937, in Osage, the son of John and Mabel (Blonigan) Dasch. Sylvester "Sonny" was baptized and confirmed at St. Peter's Catholic church in New Haven. He attended and received his education in the Rudd Community Schools from 1946 until 1953. He also attended and graduated from Holy Family Catholic High School in 1956.

After graduating from high school he was inducted into the U.S. Navy in 1956, serving aboard the USS Intrepid and the USS Roosevelt until his honorable discharge in 1960. While in the Navy Sonny received an Airline Mechanic Certificate.

Sonny and his friend Helen bought and ran the Rail Club until their business burnt in Manly's big fire in 1964. Not willing to give up Sonny along with his father and friends tore down three burnt buildings and a new Rail Club came to be Manly's hot spot. Sonny also worked at Decker's Meats in Mason City, Ruan in Hanlontown, and Whitt Farms on B-20 in Mason City, retiring after a long battle with cancer. Sonny also earned a small mechanic degree from NIACC in Mason City.

He married Helen Ulrich on June 5, 1962, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Manly. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and the Edward Tosel American Legion Post 110, in Manly and the Moose Lodge in Mason City.

Left to cherish his memory is his wife Helen of Manly; children: Wanda McLaughlin and her husband Patrick of Manly, Michael Ulrich and his wife Janet of Mason City, Sonja Dasch-Lawson and her husband Mark of Plymouth; six grandchildren; one great granddaughter; mother-in-law, Irene Cilfone of Manly; sisters, Theresa "Terry" Gifford and husband James of Mason City, Camilla Ent and husband James of Grinnell, and Nancy Wasicek of Mason City; a brother, Gary Dasch and his wife Janet of Mason City; sister-in-law, Lorie Dasch of Des Moines; 12 nieces and nephews, many cousins and dear friends, especially Chuck and Sandy Whitt and family of Mason City.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother, John and Mable, a brother, Philip on Aug. 12, 2001, step father Willard (Pete) Lockwood, and grandparents and many relatives and friends.

[Northwood Anchor, December 18, 2001]