Ralph Drees

Published 12:00 am Monday, August 3, 2009

Ralph Henry Drees, Sr., 89
Ralph Henry Drees, Sr., 89, of Adams, died on Aug. 1, 2009 at his home after a courageous battle with heart and lung disease.
Ralph was born May 23, 1920 to Joseph and Rose (Kraus) Drees in Lidderdale, Iowa. Ralph married Ethel Daiker on Jan. 5, 1942 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Auburn, Iowa. Together they farmed all of their married life; mostly near Taopi, Minn. They retired to Adams in 1989.
Ralph drove a John Deere A tractor from Lidderdale, Iowa to Taopi when he moved his family to Taopi. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Adams since 1954, a life member of the Sons of the American Legion and was proud to be the one who raised and lowered the flag at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery for several years. He enjoyed farming, playing cards and spending time with his family. Ralph will be remembered for his strong faith, his joy in being a father and his example as a husband, father and grandfather.
He is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Ethel and his children, Rosann Sanford, Spring Valley, Minn., Ralph (Janice) Drees, Jr., Spring Valley, Minn., Stephen (Nancy) Drees, Austin, Mary (Jerry) Ott, Mason City, Iowa, Anna (Gene) Wilder, LeRoy, Minn., John (Candy) Drees, Austin, Dale (Robin)Drees, Appleton, Wis., Dan (Carol) Drees, Taopi, Neil (Peggy) Drees, Austin, Arlo (Beth) Drees, Austin, Brian (Kelly) Drees, Mason City, Iowa; daughter-in-Law, Ella Dodge, Minneapolis, Minn.; 53 grandchildren, 75 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter; brothers, Vernon (Phyllis) Drees, Carroll, Iowa, Joe (Donna) Drees, Warrensburg, Mo.; sister, Lucille Pfeiffer, Adams, Minn.; sisters-in-law, Leona Drees, Carroll, Iowa.
 Ralph was preceded in death by his parents; father-in-law and mother-in-law, John and Caroline Daiker; son, Allen Drees in 1985; granddaughters, Mary Ann Sanford in 1966, Suzanne Drees in 1977 and Jamie Ott in 1994; son-in-law, Wally in 2006; brothers, Rudy, Ray and LuVerne, sisters Luetta and Helene.
A funeral mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father James Seitz officiating. Interment will be in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Adams. Visitation will be at the Adams Funeral Home on Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m. and at the church on Wednesday for one hour before the service.