Wilson, Leland LuVerne 1924-2009

WILSON, GATES, CAROLAN, GOSSMAN, KRIENER, KOLE, KELLER, ALCOCK, BONDY, COVINGTON, ETHAN, HOLTHAUS, ANTONIA, PHILLIPS, MCFARLAND, TERRY, BOELTER, HAND

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 12/19/2012 at 10:59:55

Leland “Cy” Wilson, 85, of Decorah, IA passed away on August 14th, 2009 at the Barthell Eastern Star Nursing Home, from an extended illness.

A funeral mass will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, August 18, 2009, at St. Bridget’s Catholic Church in Bluffton, Iowa, with Rev. Phillip Gibbs presiding. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Friends may call from 4:00-8:00 p.m. on Monday at the Schluter – Balik Funeral Home in Decorah and after 9:30 a.m. at the church in Bluffton on Tuesday morning. There will be a scripture service at 6:00 p.m. at the funeral home on Monday.

Leland “Cy” LuVerne Wilson was born to John and Hattie (Gates) Wilson on August, 5, 1924 on their family farm, near Rowley, Iowa, in Buchanan County. He attended Buchanan County schools, where he was given the nickname “Cy”, on his very first day of school. One of his biggest disappointments came early in life, when he enlisted for military service with his friends during WWII, and was rejected due to having Polio as a child. He then moved to Cedar Rapids, where he worked for Collins Radio Co. On June 11, 1946, he married Madonna Carolan at St. Bridget’s Catholic Church near Bluffton, IA. In 1948, he began a job as a route sales/delivery person for Nabisco products, a job he liked and always enjoyed sharing stories of the people he met along his route. In 1951, he and Madonna moved to Winneshiek County, where he began farming, continuing to do so until his retirement in 1994. He took great pride in raising quality beef and pork as well as grain crops. He especially enjoyed social time with his friends, including countless card games, dances at Matter's Ballroom, a new story from an old friend or playing with grandchildren as his family grew. He must also have enjoyed his forty-one years as a farmer too, because his family recalls how he liked to “whistle while he worked”. He was a long-time member of St. Bridget’s Catholic Church near Bluffton, until it’s closing in 2008. He is a current member of St. Benedict’s Catholic Church in Decorah.

Leland is survived by his wife of sixty-three years: Madonna Wilson. Three daughters: Vernelle (Merlyn) Gossman, Decorah, IA; Marlene (Guy) Williams, Cedar Rapids, IA and Brenda (Loren) Kriener, Ft. Atkinson, IA. Eight grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren: Terri (Paul) Kole, Jared, Ryan and Logan Keller of Center Point, IA; Traci (Bob) Kourtni Alcock, Mia and Bo Bondy, Rochester, MN; Carmen (Brad) Allyson, and Mitchell Covington, Fairfax, IA; Kim (Kelly) Ethan and Ava Holthaus, Decorah, IA; Angela (Aaron) Antonia, William and Anna Phillips, Cedar Rapids, IA; Erin Kriener (special friend, Jason Hoffert) Amana, IA; Abby and Adam Kriener both of Ft. Atkinson, IA. He is survived by two brothers: Delbert Wilson, Rowley, IA; and Jim (Leone) Wilson, Coupeville, WA. One sister: Virginia (Burr) McFarland. Ames, IA. Two sisters-in-law Lucille Wilson, Hopkinton, IA and Shirley (John) Terry, Independence, IA as well as several nieces and nephews, including a special nephew: Kent Wilson, Rowley, IA.

Preceding him in death are his parents: John and Hattie (Gates) Wilson. Three brothers: Lloyd, Lyle, Ralph and half-brother, Duane. Two sisters: Eileen (Floyd) Boelter, Rowley, IA and Thelma Hand, Iowa City, IA. Two sisters-in-law: Marilyn Wilson and Marie Wilson.

Source: Schluter - Balik Funeral Home database

St. Bridget Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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