Otto Francis HUSS

HUSS, DOWLIN, STEFFA, MYERS, BELL, REID, SPOTTS, BRUNDIDGE, LIVINGSTON

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/25/2013 at 19:04:39

April 30, 1908 -- January 3, 1984

In a sod house in the sand hills of Cherry County, Neb., 12 miles west of Elsmere, Otto Francis Huss, the fourth of the six children of Henry William Huss and Mary Iota (Ida) Dowlin Huss, was born April 30, 1908. On Jan. 3, 1984, he died of congestive heart failure at the Indianola Good Samaritan Center at the age of 75 years, eight months and four days.

When only a small child Otto was in a tornado, carried outside by the wind and deposited uninjured in a mud puddle. Later the family moved back to Iowa where Otto was reared and received his formal education in the public schools of Warren and Polk Counties.

At Hampton on Dec. 18, 1935, Mr. Huss was united in marriage to Mary Anna Steffa, the oldest of the six children of the late John Milton Steffa and the late Lizzie Matilda Myers Steffa of rural Goldfield. To this union six children, five of whom survive their father, were born.

Most of Mr. Huss' adult life was spent in farming, first as a farm hand and then farming for himself beginning in 1943. In 1947 the family moved to the present farm home, "SQUEB Valley Ranch" southeast of New Virginia, where Mr. Huss farmed until he suffered a severe C.V.A. on Sept. 28, 1960.

As a result, he was an aphasiac, right hemiplegic until his death. He was unable to do much work, but still enjoyed being on the farm and helping with the chores. Since March 31, 1982, Mr. Huss has been confined in a nursing home.

On Dec. 20, 1950, Mr. Huss and his wife and three oldest children were baptized by immersion in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Des Moines. He was received into fellowship in the Liberty Center Seventh-day Adventist Church, now known as the Indianola Seventh-day Adventist Church, where he held a number of church offices.

Mr. Huss was preceded in death by his father and mother; his second son, Otto Eudine (Deanie) Huss; a granddaughter, Lynette Rene Huss, in infancy; a great-granddaughter, Sue Anna Bell, in infancy; a sister, Dorothy Huss, in infancy; and another sister, Lillian Mae Reid. He is survived by his wife, five children, 18 grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. His surviving children include three sons, Francis Huss and wife Irene of rural Maxwell, Henry Huss and wife Mary of rural New Virginia and Robert Huss and wife Joanne of Athens, Ga.; and two daughter, Dorothy Spotts and husband Charles of near Des Moines and Barbara Brundidge and husband Danny of Bonner Springs, Kan. Also surviving are three brothers, Everett Huss and wife Johanna of Sacramento, Calif., Carl Huss of Bee Branch, Ark., and Leslie Huss and wife Adele of Pueblo, Colo.; and a half-brother, Paul Huss and wife Louise of Sapulpa, Okla.

Services were held at Peterson Funeral Home on Friday, Jan. 6, with Pastor George King or rural Martensdale officiating. Mrs. Irma Mowry of Des Moines was organist. Merle Trotter and Mrs. Dianne Hiller of Indianola sang "The Old Rugged Cross," "In The Garden" and "God Be With You."

Pallbearers were his three sons, Francis, Henry and Robert Huss; and three of his grandsons, Duane, Kevin and Daniel Huss. Honorary pallbearers were his two sons-in-law, Charles Spotts and Danny Brundidge; one grandson, Andrew Huss; and one great-grandson, Eric Livingston. Interment was in the Linn Grove Cemetery at Prole.

Indianola Tribune -- Indianola, Iowa
March 15, 1984