Obituaries : Charles H. Ries

Charles H. Ries, 86, passed away on January 10, 2020 at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House in Hiawatha, surrounded by his family.

Visitation will be 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, January 12, 2020 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Vinton and for an hour before Mass at the church on Monday. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, January 13, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Vinton with Fr. Jim Brokman as celebrant. Military rites by the Iowa Military Funeral Honors and the Shellsburg American Legion Post will be done at the church. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery, Vinton.

Charles was born August 14, 1933 to Alphonse and Gertrude Ries in Dyersville, Iowa. He was a Sergeant in the Army from 1954 to 1956. Charles married Geraldene Villhauer on June 30, 1958. Charles worked for International Harvester in Cedar Rapids for 22 years. Charles was a member of the Shellsburg Legion. He was a man of Faith, Family and Farming.

Charles is survived by his wife of 61 years, children: Glennis (Kevin) of Atkins, Rose (Chris) of Urbana, Steve (Jodie) of Central City, Lynne (Greg) of Dysart, Paul (Karilea) of Vinton, Gene (Kate) of Robins, and Sarah of Vinton, 22 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Siblings: John (Ruth) Ries of Hopkinton, Mary (Ralph) Brown of Edgewood, Joann Kruse of Petersburg, Frank (Cheryl) Ries of Hopkinton, Kathy (Jerry) Becker of Dyersville, Fred (Sandy) Ries of Manchester, Ed (Eileen) Ries of Hopkinton, Janet Thomas of Farley, Merle (Sue) Ries of Bernard, Marge (Larry) Gaul of Strawberry Point; in-laws: Ann Villhauer of Oxford, Janice (Dave) Nelson of Matherville, IL, Nancy (Chuck) Freeland of Waterloo, Mike (Faith) Villhauer of Lytton, Kirk (Chris) Villhauer of Swisher, Karen (Leonard) Vanorny of Solon and; many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his in-laws, Phil and Peg Villhauer; brothers Bill (Elsie) and Wally (Rita and Larry Hartung); in-laws Martin Kruse, Marcus Villhauer and Stanley Villhauer; Grandsons Ben Ries and Reece Erickson.

Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home is caring for Chuck and his family. Condolences may be left at www.vsrfh.com.