Joseph G. Reiser

ROSARY:3:30 P.M., Friday, August 5, 2016St. Rose of Lima Catholic ChurchDenison, Iowa VISITATION:4:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M.Friday, August 5, 2015St. Rose of Lima Catholic ChurchDenison, IowaPARISH VIGIL SERVICE:7:00 P.M., Friday, August 5, 2016St. Rose of Lima Catholic ChurchDenison, IowaMASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL10:00 A.M., Saturday, August 6, 2016St. Rose of Lima Catholic ChurchDenison, IowaBurial with Military HonorsSt. Rose of Lima Catholic CemeteryDenison, Iowa   Joseph G. Reiser was born in Butte, Nebraska, December 24, 1924, the son of Frank and Mary Dopheide Reiser. He was raised in Butte, receiving his formal education at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic School. Sylvia Reiser Blum writes in the Reiser Family History: “In February, 1945, Joe left for the Army. He took his training at Camp Fannin, Texas. That July, he came home on furlough before going overseas. After several days at home, he shipped out for the Philippine Islands. Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945, and the war was over. He was sent to the Philippine Islands anyway and initially was a guard at the Army hospital and also helped take care of patients. He was the chaplain’s driver for approximately four months and ran the PX before leaving the Philippines. That Christmas, he celebrated his 21st birthday in Batangas, Philippine Islands. At midnight he served at the Christmas midnight mass in the open air. With stars shining all over, he said it was the most wonderful feeling he ever had. A year and a half later on October 31, 1946, he was discharged as a technical sergeant.” Following the service Joe returned to Butte, Nebraska, before moving to a farm at Manilla, Iowa, where he was employed for three years. On December 28, 1950, Joe was united in marriage with Virginia Ann Munchrath at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Earling, Iowa. Their union was blessed with the birth of 13 children. They made their home on a farm in Manilla until purchasing their farm west of Denison, Iowa, in 1952.  Upon retiring from farming, Joe and Virginia moved into Denison where Joe worked part time for the Denison Street Department. Virginia died May 20, 2007, and Joe continued to make Denison his home until moving to St. Anthony Nursing Home in Carroll, Iowa, in January of 2014. Most of Joe’s life involved working on the farm where he spent countless hours growing crops, raising hogs and cattle, and of course cutting thistles. In his leisure time he greatly enjoyed social gatherings with family and friends. He was especially fond of traveling back to Butte, Nebraska for visits, and to the many other places his family members lived. In Denison, Iowa, he was a member of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus Denison Council #2074, American Legion Post 8 and the National Farmers Organization. Other memberships he enjoyed in his earlier years included the Crawford County Extension Service and a four-year position on the Denison Parks and Recreation Board. Joe died with his daughters, Janet and Anne, at his side Thursday evening, July 28, 2016, at St. Anthony Nursing Home, Carroll, Iowa. At the time of his death he had been blessed with 91 years, 7 months and 4 days. Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Mary Reiser, his wife Virginia Reiser, and five sons: Frederick, William, Dean, Paul and Brian Reiser; two grandchildren: Alesha Mahaney and Ty Jaden Reiser; three brothers: Vincent Reiser, Herbert Reiser and Father Phillip Reiser; and one sister, Sylvia Blum. Those remaining to cherish his memory include eight children: Glenda M. (Vincent) Mahaney, Denison, Iowa, Gerard M. Reiser, Denison, Iowa, Dennis J. (Dawn) Reiser, Carroll, Iowa, Janet K. Reiser, Carroll, Iowa, Kevin L. Reiser, Bakersfield, California, Colonel (Ret. USAF) Dr. Daniel E. (Meghan Goder) Reiser, Dayton, Ohio, and twins, Anne M. (Robert) Lehmann, Ames, Iowa, and Allan M. Reiser, Carroll, Iowa; 17 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; four brothers: Matthew (Dorothy) Reiser, Chandler, Arizona, Ronald (Alice) Reiser, Carroll, Iowa, Charles (Betty) Reiser, Elkhorn, Nebraska and Frank Reiser of Kansas City, Missouri; three sisters-in-law: Martha Reiser of Butte, Nebraska, Alva Mages of Panama, Iowa, and Norma Ohlinger of Pocahontas, Iowa; one brother-in-law, Leon Schmidt of Harlan, Iowa, and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.