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Rossum, Ralph E. 1914-2002

ROSSUM, SCHMIDT

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 4/28/2009 at 15:19:53

LE MARS, Iowa -- Ralph E. Rossum, 88, of Le Mars died Thursday, July 18, 2002, at Plymouth Manor Care Center in Le Mars.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. John Evangelical Church in Craig, Iowa with the Rev. Pete Peterson officiating. Burial with military honors conducted by the American Legion Heeren-McHale-Wilken Post 724 of Brunsville, Iowa will be in the St. John Evangelical Cemetery in Craig. Visitation will be after 2 p.m. today, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Carlsen Funeral Home in Le Mars.

Mr. Rossum was born April 29, 1914, on the family farm near Hudson, S.D., the son of Eric and Anne Rossum. He graduated from Hawarden (IA) High School. He married Linda Schmidt on June 2, 1937, in Chicago Heights, Ill. He served in the U.S. Army from Sept. 20, 1942 to March 12, 1946. Following his honorable discharge, they returned to Craig and operated a radio repair chop, appliance store, and an ice cream shop for several years. He later sold the business and moved to Sioux City to manage a radio repair shop. He volunteered to serve his country another year during the Korean Conflict. After his discharge, he accepted a position with the Bendix Field Engineering in Baltimore, Md., as a field engineer. He was relocated to Barstow, Calf.

They lived in California for eight years. While in Barstow, he was active on the hospital board, United Way, and helped to organize the Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church where he served as President of the Congregation. In 1967, he was assigned to work at the corporate headquarters of Bendix Field Engineering and again relocated to Baltimore. In 1975, he accepted an exciting position and moved to Florida where he worked on government projects involving the space program. It was at this point in his career he visited exotic ports-of-call and completed a trip around the world; including a relocation of the couple to Argentina, South America.

They retired in 1977 and made their home at Merritt Island, Fla., where they were active in church and entertained many out of state guests., They also loved to travel and made many trips in their motorhome from coast to coast and beyond. It was in Florida that he joined the Benevolent Order of the Protective Elks.

They returned to Le Mars in the early 1990s and reestablished their ties as members of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Craig. He enjoyed his "ham radio" and communicating with others all over the world. He was also an avid golfer and taught himself to use a personal computer. He was also a member of the American Legion Heeren-McHale-Wilken Post in Brunsville.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter and her husband, Janet and Wayne Lages of Baltimore; three sisters-in-law, Mary Rossum of Chicago, Loraine Schmidt of Hawarden, Iowa, and Marian Schmidt of Le Mars; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Norris, Arthur and Lawrence Rossum; and a sister, Millie Baker.

Pallbearers will be Earl Rossum, George Baker, Lavern Schmidt, Russell Schmidt, Mark Schmidt, John Schmidt, Brent Brownmiller and Todd Brownmiller.

~Source: The Sioux City Journal, part of the Darrell E. Obituary Collection

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Plymouth Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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