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Elsie Ries
ELSIE MAE RIES
Cascade
Elsie Mae Ries, 83, of Cascade, Iowa, died Friday, Nov. 6, 2015, at 9:26 a.m. at her home in Cascade, Iowa, surrounded by her family.
Friends and relatives of Elsie may call from 2 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 9, at the Reiff Funeral Home in Cascade, where a wake service will be held at 7:30 p.m.
Services for Elsie will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at St. Martin's Catholic Church in Cascade, with the Rev. Msgr. Lyle Wilgenbusch presiding. Burial will be held at Calvary Cemetery in Cascade.
Elsie was born May 15, 1932, in Hopkinton, Iowa, daughter of Nick and Rose (Atkinson) Wilgenbusch. On July 18, 1950, she was united in marriage to Wilfred "Bill" Ries at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Farley, Iowa. He preceded her in death on Feb. 11, 2009.
She was a member of the St. Matthias Parish in Cascade. Elsie was a full-time housewife and spent many hours in the large garden she provided for her family. She spent many hours assisting her husband in the fields and with the animals. She enjoyed playing cards with her family and friends. She spent many nights praying for the safety and health of her family and friends. Elsie was a great cook and family rushed home for her fried chicken dinners, dill pickles and chocolate chip cookies. She especially enjoyed the company of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She is survived by 10 children, Kay (Bill) Hutchins of Cascade, Dennis (Peg) Ries of Epworth, Rose (Jim) Maffioli of Klamath Falls, Ore., Dave (Tina) Ries of Monticello, Tom (Laura) Ries of Bernard, and Bob (Sherrie) Ries, Bill Ries, Mary Lou (Jim) Gerlach, Jan (Mike) Donovan and Allen (Stephanie) Ries, all of Cascade; 32 grandchildren; 36 great-grandchildren; one great-
great-grandchild; two siblings, Rose Britt of Manchester and Laura (Art) Feldmann of Cascade; and 14 brothers and sisters-in-law, Rita Wilgenbusch of Monticello, Bob Kirpes of Dubuque, Charles (Gerri) Ries of Shullsburg, Wis., John (Ruthie) Ries of Hopkinton, Mary (Ralph) Brown of Edgewood, Joann (Martin) Kruse of Petersburg, Frank (Cheryl) Ries of Hopkinton, Kathy (Jerry) Becker of Dyersville, Fred (Sandy) Ries of Central City, Ed (Eileen) Ries of Hopkinton, Janet Thomas of Dubuque, Merle (Sue) Ries of Bernard, Margie (Larry) Gaul of Strawberry Point and Rita Hartung of Monticello.
She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband; one son, Kenneth Ries on Sept. 25, 2005; her father and mother-in-law, Alphonse and Gertrude (Kramer) Ries; 12 siblings, Mable (Russell) Guthrie, Myrtle (Paul) Krogman, Gladys (Ray) Kirby, Viola (Art) Trumm, Tom (Francis) Wilgenbusch, John Wilgenbusch, Ethel (Beriah) Kenny, Paul Britt, Herman (Bud) Wilgenbusch, Mary (Bob) Lauersdorf, Alice Kirpes and Frank Wilgenbusch; and one brother-in-law, Walter Ries.
Thank you to Dr. Schultheis, Dr. Ries, Dr. Covey and employees and caregivers at Riverbend Assisted Living Center and Hospice of Dubuque, especially Cindy for all the wonderful care and support they gave Elsie and her family.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.reifffuneralhomein
c.com.
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