Meis, Ray (1910-2007)

MEIS, ROERIG, NILLES, KOOB, ELLEDGE, GRAU, ABDALLA, VAN STEENWYCK, OLSON, WOLF

Posted By: Mary Holub, volunteer (email)
Date: 3/29/2008 at 19:38:47

From: Le Mars Daily Sentinel, June 1, 2007

Ray Meis, 96, of Crescent and formerly of Granville, died Tuesday, May 29, 2007, at Immanuel Medical Center in Omaha, Neb.

Ray Meis was born July 1, 1910, at rural Le Mars, the son of Joseph and Katherine (Roerig) Meis. Ray was raised in the Le Mars area and received his education at St. Joseph Catholic School in Le Mars. He then worked at different jobs in the Le Mars area, including hauling milk and working at Wells' Dairy when they were first established.

On Sept. 26, 1939, he married Catherine Nilles at Remsen. They made their home near Remsen where they were engaged in farming until 1942 when they moved to the Granville area to farm. In 1972 they retired and moved into Granville. Catherine died Nov. 9, 1989.

In 2003 Ray moved to Crescent to be closer to his family. In Nov. 2006 he moved to an assisted living facility in Fort Calhoun and had just moved to a nursing home in Omaha on April 30, 2007.

He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Granville. He was a lifetime member of the Eagles Club in Le Mars. He enjoyed bowling, fishing, dancing, watching baseball and playing cards. He was always up for a game of pitch or pinochle.

Survivors include four sons, Bill and his wife Marian, and Ken and his wife Suzi, all of Crescent, Ron and his wife Rosemary of Honey Creek, and Tom of Carter Lake; one daughter, Mary and her husband Jerry Koob of Omaha, Neb.; one daughter-in-law, Janice Elledge of Bennington, Neb.; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; five sisters, Marian Abdalla of Fort Dodge, Margaret Grau of Littleton, Colo., Joan Van Steenwyck and Janet Olson both of California, and Ruth Marienau of Des Moines; one sister-in-law, Joan Meis of South Sioux City, Neb.; one brother-in-law, Francis and his wife Pat Nilles of Remsen.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Robert; five brothers, Leonard, Clarence "Huck", Herb, Ed and Richard "Bud"; and one sister, Clatilda "Tillie" Wolf.

Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 5, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Granville, with the Rev. Richard Ball officiating. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery in Granville. Friends may call after 4 p.m. on Monday. There will be a parish rosary at 5 p.m. and a vigil prayer service at 7:30 p.m., all at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Granville. The Fisch Funeral Home of Remsen is in charge of arrangements.

Casketbearers will be Ryan, Robby, Josh and Justin and Steve Meis, Donald Gergen.