Lias, Harvey G. 1923-2005

LIAS, RHODES, KALLSEN

Posted By: Doris Hoffman, Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/4/2013 at 15:09:24

Harvey G. Lias

Harvey G. Lias, 81, of Akron, died Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2005, at the Akron Care Center in Akron.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Wesley United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Laurice Streyffeler officiating. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery, with military rites conducted by American Legion Albert E. Hoschler Post 186 and the U.S. Air Force Reserves. Visitation will be at 3 p.m. today (Thursday), with the family present after 6 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m. at Carlsen Funeral Home-Schroeder Chapel in Akron.

Le Mars Daily Sentinel
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Le Mars, Iowa

Harvey G. Lias

AKRON — Harvey G. Lias, 81, of Akron passed away Tuesday (Sept. 20, 2005) at the Akron Care Center in Akron.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at Wesley United Methodist Church in Akron with the Rev. Laurice Streyffeler officiating. Burial with military rites conducted by the Albert E. Hoschler American Legion Post No. 186 and the U.S. Air Force Reserves, will be in the Riverside Cemetery in Akron.

Visitations will begin after 3 p.m. today with the family present after 6 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., all at the Carlsen Funeral Home-Schroeder Chapel in Akron.

Condolences can be sent to the family at www.carlsenfuneralhome.com.

Casket bearers are: Chris Nystrup, Ed Searls, Bill Schoen, Jerry Barwick, Wendell Borchers and Luverne Helmrichs.

Honorary casket bearers are: Ryan Lias, Brett Lias, Corey Lias, Ryan Worrell, Tony Ramon, Rick Ramon, Ray Ramon, Marc Thorson, Mason Thorson and David Christensen.

Harvey George Lias was born Nov. 26, 1923, in Akron, Iowa, the son of Eugene and Florence (Rhodes) Lias. He was baptized and confirmed into the christian faith. He attended school in Akron and graduated from Akron High School in 1942.

He entered the United States Army Air Corps. He flew 61 bombing missions with the 320th bomb squadron, 441st Battalion, as a tail gunner over Italy and France. On July 1, 1944, he was sent to the hospital due to an old football injury, so he missed his flight mission. On that mission, his crew was shot down. Following his return to the states, he was honorably discharged as a tech sergeant in September 1945. For his service to his country, he was rewarded several medals, including the Air Medal with Six Oak Leaf Clusters. The first targeting marshalling yards and a locomotive plant in Florence, Italy, the second targeting a road bridge crossing the Tiber River in Monterotonda, Italy, the third targeting a railroad bridge in Albonga, Italy, the fourth targeting a north railroad bridge in Incisa-in-Valdarno, Italy, the fifth targeting a railroad viaduct in Bucine, Italy, the sixth targeting a railroad bridge at Borgo V 1 Di Tare, Italy, and the seventh cluster medal, targeting railroad bridges in Voghera, Italy. He also received five Bronze Stars for his duty. On July 10, 2000, he returned to Italy to honor his fallen comrades and placed flowers and a marker on the memorial on that sight.

He was united in marriage to Lois Kallsen on Jan. 1, 1945, in Akron, Iowa. Together they were the parents of three children: Jerry, Denny and Debra. The couple farmed in the Akron area for many years. Lois passed away July 18, 1995. In 1998, he retired from farming.

He was longtime member of Wesley United Methodist Church in Akron. He was also a member of the Albert E. Hoschler American Legion Post No. 186 in Akron and a former grand master of the Masonic Lodge. Harvey enjoyed returning to the 320th bomber squad reunions throughout the United States. He loved watching the Iowa Hawkeyes, Green Bay Packers and NASCAR.

Survivors include his three children: Jerry Lias and his wife, Jeanette, of Akron, Denny Lias and his wife, Julie, of Sioux City, and Debra Ramon and her husband, Rey, of Mason City; a very special significant other, Joyce Thorson of Akron, and her family, Marc Thorson and his wife, Gloria, and their family of Akron, Melinda Wickmon and her husband, Ken, and their family of Webster Groves, Mo., Martha Morin and her husband, Dave, and their family of Akron, Mason Thorson and his wife, Karen, and their family of Rapid City, S.D., and Mary Joyce Ferguson and her husband, Scott, and their family of Coralville; two brothers, David “Bud” Lias and his wife, Mary, of Akron, and Bob Lias and his wife, Marge, of Akron; two sisters, Lorraine Bauch of Kansas City, Mo., and Ruth Lowery of Akron; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

His parents and his wife, Lois, preceded him in death.

Globe Gazette,; Thursday, September 22, 2005