Ervin F. Claus 1916-1999

CLAUS, WEBER, MADILL

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/15/2013 at 22:05:16

HORNICK, Iowa — Ervin F. Claus, 83, of Grinnell, Iowa, formerly of Hornick, died Saturday, Nov. 20, 1999, at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix of lung cancer.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Newburg-Chester United Church of Christ with the Rev. Ken Wallace, pastor of the church, officiating. Veterans rites will be conducted by the Ward-Paul American Legion Post of Gilman.

Burial will be in Prairie View Cemetery at Gilman. Visitation will be after 9 a.m. today at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell, The family will be present from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Mr. Claus was born Nov. 20, 1916, in Hornick, the son of Ben and Edith Weber Claus. He was raised on the family farm near Hornick and graduated from Holly Springs High School in 1936.
Following his education, he moved to California and worked for McDonald-Douglas Aircraft Co. During World War II he served with the U.S. Army in Europe.

On Nov 5, 1948, he was Married to Ferne Madill in Grinnell. The couple farmed near Newburg until retiring in 1978. They wintered in Mesa, Ariz., for 20 years and moved to Grinnell in 1994.

He was a member of the Newburg-Chester United Church of Christ, the Ward-Paul American Legion Post of Gilman and he was past president of the Gilman Lions Club.

Survivors include his wife, Ferne: one brother, Chester Claus of Smithland, Iowa; and three sisters: Altha Bos of Newton, Iowa; Elda Nirenberg of Bend, Ore., and Lucille Heinse of Anthon, Iowa.