Chester Merle Bliss
d. October 29, 2007
Chester Merle Bliss, 84, a resident of Cottage Grove Place, Cedar Rapids, died Monday, October 29, 2007, following a long illness. Services: 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 31, 2007, at Murdoch Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Marion by Rev. Howard Chapman. The family will greet friends from 12:00 ?" 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 31, 2007, with a Masonic service commencing at 1:30 p.m. Burial: Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery with Military Honors.
Merle was born April 26, 1923, the son of Chester Gray Bliss and Julia Alice (Danford) Bliss, near Jordan’s Grove, Iowa. He graduated from Central City High School. After graduation, he trained at Northwestern University in Chicago to become a radioman and was deployed in that capacity on PT 357 in the Pacific theater of WWII until wounded.
He was married June 27th, 1945 to Beulah Onalee George and they had two daughters.
After the war, Merle managed the Co-Op in Central City and then became co-owner of Lamont Elevator Co. After retirement, he joined the Peace Corps and spent several months in agriculture pursuits in Belize, Central America.
He joined First Presbyterian Church of Marion in 1980. On Novegamber 24, 1986, he was married to the former Agnes Darsee and had another career in real estate.
Merle was a long-time member and Past Master of the Blue Lodge, Order of the Eastern Star and the El Kahir Shrine. Military Honors will be conducted by American Legion Post 298, Marion. Masonic Rites will be conducted by Level Lodge, Central City.
Survivors include his wife, Agnes, and her family, including a special granddaughter, Karen Keller; two daughters, Elaine Onalee Bliss and Marilyn (Albert) Dlugasch. Also surviving of his six siblings is one brother, Donald Bliss and one sister, Blanche (Bliss) Betenbender.
Merle was born April 26, 1923, the son of Chester Gray Bliss and Julia Alice (Danford) Bliss, near Jordan’s Grove, Iowa. He graduated from Central City High School. After graduation, he trained at Northwestern University in Chicago to become a radioman and was deployed in that capacity on PT 357 in the Pacific theater of WWII until wounded.
He was married June 27th, 1945 to Beulah Onalee George and they had two daughters.
After the war, Merle managed the Co-Op in Central City and then became co-owner of Lamont Elevator Co. After retirement, he joined the Peace Corps and spent several months in agriculture pursuits in Belize, Central America.
He joined First Presbyterian Church of Marion in 1980. On Novegamber 24, 1986, he was married to the former Agnes Darsee and had another career in real estate.
Merle was a long-time member and Past Master of the Blue Lodge, Order of the Eastern Star and the El Kahir Shrine. Military Honors will be conducted by American Legion Post 298, Marion. Masonic Rites will be conducted by Level Lodge, Central City.
Survivors include his wife, Agnes, and her family, including a special granddaughter, Karen Keller; two daughters, Elaine Onalee Bliss and Marilyn (Albert) Dlugasch. Also surviving of his six siblings is one brother, Donald Bliss and one sister, Blanche (Bliss) Betenbender.
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