Bird, Edward F. 1940-2002

BIRD, FRANCK, GROEPPER

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, Volunteer (email)
Date: 4/14/2007 at 11:46:26

SOUTH SIOUX CITY -- Edward F. Bird, 62, of South Sioux City died Thursday, Oct. 10, 2002, at a South Sioux City nursing home following a lengthy illness.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Michael Catholic Church, with the Rev. David Liewer officiating. Burial will be in St. Michael Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, with a rosary at 3 p.m., at Becker-Hunt Funeral Home. Visitation will resume 6:30 to 8 p.m. Sunday, with a Scriptural wake service at 7 p.m. followed by a Knights of Columbus rosary, all at the church.

Mr. Bird was born Jan. 18, 1940, in Marcus, Iowa, the son of Marion A. and Elaine C. (Franck) Bird. He graduated from Marcus Holy Name.

He married Jean K. Groepper on Aug. 12, 1957, in Remsen. He then served in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1960. He was employed as a sales representative for Allis Chalmers for 26 years. He served as general manager for Atokad. He owned and operated Alley Winery and was employed at Bomgaars.

He was a member of St. Michael Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus Father Trecy Council 3844 and was Grand Knight for two years. He also was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars and was involved in the Legion baseball program and coached for many years.

Survivors include his wife, Jean; two sons and their wives, Michael and Robin and Steven and Shelly, all of Dakota City; three daughters, Cheryl and her husband, Gail Jensen of Homer, Neb., Pamela Bird of South Sioux City, and Lori and her husband, Thomas White of Kissimmee, Fla.; three brothers and their wives, Peter and Lois of Worthington, Minn., Gerald and Mary of Alton, Iowa, and Larry and Donna of Marcus; two sisters, Margaret Gengler of Remsen, Iowa, and Molly and her husband, Roger Florke of Ogden, Kan.; 14 grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.

He was preceded in death by his parents and an infant sister, Nancy.

Pallbearers will be his grandsons, Matthew, Andrew, Benjamin and Shaun Bird, Corey O'Neill, Justin Jensen and Aaron White. Honorary pallbearers will be his granddaughters, Tricia and Stephanie Jensen, Stacia and Shayna White, Amanda and Brook O'Neill and Bobbi Jo Bird.

[Part of the Darrell Easton Obituary Collection; source:Sioux City Journal]