Spain, Marcedes Max 1925-2005

SPAIN, CAGLEY, BECKER

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 2/28/2009 at 15:44:22

Marcedes Max Spain, 79, of Sioux City died Friday, March 25, 2005, at his residence following a courageous battle with cancer.

Services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at Cathedral of the Epiphany Catholic Church, with the Rev. Al McCoy officiating. Burial will be in St. Michael's Cemetery at Kingsley, Iowa, with military rites conducted. Visitation will be 3 to 8 p.m. Monday, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a vigil service at 7 p.m., at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel.

Marcedes Max Spain, the son of Dr. Francis J. and Florice I. (Cagley) Spain, and was born Nov. 27, 1925, in Kingsley. He graduated from Kingsley High School and then served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was stationed in the South Pacific on the LST 1097 from Nov. 23, 1943, until April 27, 1946. He then attended Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, for two years.

He married Armeline J. Becker on Nov. 25, 1948, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Osmond, Neb. He worked for six and a half years at Central Telephone and then for 35 years at Northwestern Bell (now Qwest).

He was a member of Cathedral of the Epiphany Catholic Church. He was a longtime president of CWA Local 7103, served for two years on the CWA for the Future Committee and was a card-carrying member of the CWA Local 7103 Retiree. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Northwest Iowa Labor Council and was co-founder of the Siouxland Labor Management Group. He had served on the board of Crime Stoppers, Leadership of Sioux City, SIMPCO, United Way and the Girl Scouts. He was a longtime member on the board of the Boys & Girls Home and Family Services and was recipient of the Boys and Girls Home Jeffery Dible Volunteer of the Year Award. He was a charter member of SEDC and a member of American Legion Monahan Post 64. He was also active in the Democratic Party.

Survivors include his wife, Armeline of Sioux City; six children, Michelle Spain of Gunnison, Colo., Roxanne Mitchell and her husband, Steve of Aurora, Colo., Mark Spain of Sioux City, Paula Spain of Aurora, Patrice Spain of Denver, Colo., and Maureen Waite and her husband, Jim of Sioux City; a brother, Patrick Leon Spain of Patagonia, Ariz.; three grandchildren, Erin Ruiz and her husband, Ryan, Amanda and Christopher Mitchell; two step-grandchildren, Katie Waite and Angie Apple; a great-grandchild, Zachery Ruiz; three nephews; and a niece.

He was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Mary Ellen; two infant brothers, Francis and Michael; and his parents.

Pallbearers will be James Waite, Steven Mitchell, Robert Sheehan, Jack Dillon, Kenneth Mertes, Kenneth Raines and Doug Vogt. Honorary pallbearers will be World War II survivors of the U.S. LST 1097.

Memorials may be directed to Boys & Girls Home & Family Services.

~Source: The Sioux City Journal, March 27, 2005
~Part of the Darrell E. Obituary Collection