BLESS, Larry Howard 1955-2016

BLESS, THOMPSON, HARTWIG

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 6/28/2016 at 10:49:55

Larry Howard Bless

#1:

ST. ANSGAR — Larry Howard Bless, 61, of St. Ansgar, died Sunday, June 26, 2016, at Mitchell County Regional Health Center, Osage.

Funeral service will be 1:30 p.m. on Friday, July 1, 2016, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, St. Ansgar, with the Rev. Dr. Byron Northwick officiating.

Burial will be in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery, St. Ansgar. Visitation is 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Schroeder and Sites Funeral Home, St. Ansgar.

Schroeder and Sites Funeral Home, St. Ansgar, is in charge of arrangements.

Source: Mason City Globe Gazette, Tuesday, June 28, 2016

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#2:

Larry Howard Bless

ST. ANSGAR — Larry Howard Bless, 61, died Sunday, June 26, 2016, at Mitchell County Memorial Hospital in Osage, Iowa after a six-month struggle with pancreatic cancer.

In life he was energetic, full of faith, life and fun and truly a friend to all. He will be missed.

Funeral service will be on Friday, July 1, 2016 at 1:30 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church, St. Ansgar, with the Rev. Dr. Byron Northwick officiating. Burial will be in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery, St. Ansgar. Visitation is scheduled on Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Schroeder and Sites Funeral Home, St. Ansgar.

Larry was born in Mason City, Iowa on April 29, 1955, the son of Howard Louis Bless and Marion Genevieve Thompson. He was baptized on June 18, 1955, at First Lutheran Church in St. Ansgar, and confirmed there on March 22, 1970. He became a member at Immanuel Lutheran Church in St. Ansgar in March, 2010. He was a faithful, life-long Lutheran, who served on church councils and even taught Sunday School for a few years, though he said he was no teacher.

He had a wonderful baritone voice and sang in many church choirs. As he battled cancer he told everyone, often, that he knew his Lord and Savior and his Lord and Savior knew him. He lived his whole life with this blessed assurance.

Larry spent his first two years living on a farm a few miles south of Toeterville, Iowa then moved across the road a mile west to spend the remainder of his life living on the Bless family farm. Larry loved his home and farming.

Larry attended school in St. Ansgar and graduated in 1973. During high school he was a proud and active member of the FFA, serving as vice-president in his senior year. While in high school he helped on the family farm and began building a herd of hogs, taking over the dairy cows and raising sheep. When his dad retired in 1989 Larry took over the farm. He soon sold the dairy cows but continued raising hogs and sheep. He enjoyed being outside, driving tractor and raising crops and livestock. In 2004 Larry began working at Grain Millers in St. Ansgar. He retired to stay home and farm full-time at the end of December, 2014.

Larry was strong, athletic and competitive. He enjoyed playing softball and when he was younger played on teams in Grafton, St. Ansgar and Stacyville. He loved playing catch and shooting baskets with his sons. He also enjoyed horseback riding and was a member of Double C Saddle Club and Horsemen of Iowa for several years. He especially liked trail riding and competing in barrel racing, pole-bending, key-hole and Texas flag. He also enjoyed bowling and playing 500. He was an avid fan of the Minnesota Twins and the Vikings. He loved to visit with people and tell jokes. He was a great story-teller.

In December, 1990, Julie Hartwig placed a personal ad in the Western Horseman magazine and in January of 1991, Larry started corresponding with her. They enjoyed writing letters to one another and talking on the telephone and finally met in April, 1991. It was love at first sight and the two were married on November 30, 1991 at Eternal Savior Lutheran Church in Lafayette, Colorado. They became the proud and happy parents of three sons, Matthew, a student at Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, currently serving his vicarage at Memorial Lutheran Church, Houston, Texas; Michael, a student at Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, Minnesota, and Mark a student at St. Ansgar High School. Larry and Julie were able to spend 24 years, 6 months and 26 days together — happily married, deeply in love and completely devoted to one another.

Larry was preceded in death by his grandparents, Clarence and Dora Bless, O.H. and Ida Thompson, his father, Howard Bless, aunts and uncles, Darold and Helen Bless, Dean and Delores Thompson, Harvey Thompson and Donald and Frances Morasch.

In addition to his wife and sons, Larry is survived by his mother, Marion of St. Ansgar and Pleasant Hill, Iowa; two sisters, Lynne (Don) Rustvold, Audubon, Iowa and Larae (Richard) Boatman, Pleasant Hill, Iowa. He is also survived by two aunts and an uncle, Doreen (Carl) Finnesgaard (his baptismal sponsors), Kenyon, Minnesota and Betty Thompson, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; father and mother-in-law Robert and Shirley Hartwig, Osage, Iowa; brothers and sisters-in-law Robert, Jr. (Glenda) Hartwig, Erie, Colorado; Laurel (Bruce) Cunningham, Berthoud, Colorado; Cynthia (Clint) Griffin, Erie, Colorado; Robin Hartwig, Arvada, Colorado and Kristen (Gerhard) Talbot, Dysart, Queensland, Australia. He is survived by many cousins, their spouses and children and several nieces and nephews and their spouses and children. Larry also leaves behind a host of good friends who were so kind to him throughout his life and for whom he cared deeply.

Schroeder and Sites Funeral Home, St. Ansgar, IA 641-713-4920. www.schroederandsites.com

Source: Mason City Globe Gazette, Thursday, June 30, 2016