William J. "Bill" Then 1943-2009

THEN, KRUEL, JOHNSON, FIEDLER, HOEFER, NILLES, GLEASON, EKLUND, AMENT

Posted By: cheryl Locher moonen (email)
Date: 10/22/2019 at 20:02:42

From the November 27, 2009 edition of the Dubuque Telegraph Herald

EPWORTH, Iowa -- William J. "Bill" Then, 66, of 5565 Then Road, Epworth, died Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009, at Mercy Medical Center-Dubuque, after a sudden illness.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, at St. John's Catholic Church, (Placid) rural Epworth, with the Rev. Joseph Hauer officiating. Burial will be in St. John's Cemetery, Placid, where military rites will be accorded by the Epworth American Legion John White Post 650. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. today, at Reiff Funeral Home, Epworth, where there will be a wake service at 3 p.m.

He was born on April 20, 1943, in Epworth, son of Peter and Sarah (Johnson) Then. He was a graduate of the former St. Joseph's High School in Farley.

He married Judy Kreul on Aug. 9, 1969, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Dubuque.

Bill was a member of the Iowa National Guard.

He was employed at Cascade Lumber and Manufacturing in Cascade.

He was a member of St. John's Parish, Placid.

Bill was a loving husband, father and a doting "Papa." He enjoyed every minute he spent with his grandchildren and gladly accepted every hug and kiss he could get from each of them. Four-wheeler rides became a favorite activity for all of them. He will be greatly missed.

Surviving are his wife, Judy Then, of Epworth; four children, Sandy (Rich) Fiedler, of Epworth, Dale Then, of Dubuque, Shirley (Matt) Hoefer, of Peosta, and Marty (Stacy) Then, of Manchester; six grandchildren, Emma, Lincoln and Will Hoefer, Jenna Fiedler, Lanie and Landon Then; six siblings, Jeanette (Joe) Nilles and Joe (Nancy) Then, both of Dyersville, Jim (Linda) Then, of Bernard, Mary Jane (Bob) Gleason, of Dyersville, Ruth (Mike) Lehmann and Phil (Janet) Then, both of Peosta; and two Gleason, sisters-in-law, Janell Then and Mary Kay Then, both of Epworth.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Tom, Leo and Frank Then; three sisters, Mildred Eklund, Sr. Gretta Then and Alice Ament; a brother-in-law, Paul Ament; a nephew, Terry "T.T." Then; and a great-nephew, Matt Then.