Musel, Francis Steve

Francis Steve Musel, 91, of Cedar Rapids, died Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011, at the Hiawatha Care Center after a short illness. Services: 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Patrick Catholic Church, by the Rev. Ivan Nienhaus. Burial: St. Joseph Cemetery. A vigil service will be held 3 p.m. Tuesday at Teahen Funeral Home, where friends may visit Tuesday from 3 to 8 p.m. Friends may also visit Wednesday after 9:15 a.m. at the church. Military honors presented by American Legion Honor Guard.

He is survived by two daughters, Patricia (Al) Wilderman and Mary (Gale) McCullough, both of Cedar Rapids; two sons, Richard (Pam) of University Heights, Ohio and Michael (Faith) of Cedar Rapids; 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Francis was preceded in death by his wife, Agnes; and a brother, Bernard.

Francis was born May 9, 1919, in Tama, the son of Steven and Agnes (Hayek) Musel. He spent the next four years working at St. Patrick Church in Tama, attending Aircraft Metal School, and working for the Glenn L. Martin Co. in Baltimore, Md. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He married Agnes B. Balloun on March 28, 1940, in Chelsea. She died in 1993. In 1949, Francis and his brother bought the B & M Sundries in Cedar Rapids. Twenty years later the Highway Commission purchased the store in preparation for the building of I-380. Francis worked for Hach Brothers Janitorial and Paper Co. for 18 years before retiring in 1984.

He was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church, Catholic Order of Foresters, Cedar Rapids Executive Association and Catholic Layman's Club.

Francis and Agnes enjoyed traveling on bus tours, fishing and flower gardening. After her death Francis continued to spend quality time with his friends playing cards and going out to eat.

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Memorials may be directed to the family.