On Aug. 2, 1919, a baby boy was born to Floyd and Jean Stephen Carris on a farm in Washington County, Iowa, near the town of Keota. The boy was to be named William Henry Carris and was later called Bill.
Bill grew up on the farm and attended a one-room school named Hawkeye No. 1 for his elementary schooling. He then went to the Keota High School where he graduated in 1939. One of his fond remembrances was having a part in his class play while in high school. When Bill graduated from the eighth grade, he was given the opportunity to spend the summer with his grandmother in Wellington, Colorado. This began his love for the Rocky Mountains and Colorado.
After graduation from high school, Bill farmed with his father until his draft notice came in September of 1942 during World War II. Bill served his country until January 1946. He served with the Port Battalion in the South Pacific and most of the time in the Philippines. Bill unloaded supplies and ammunition from ships because he knew how to drive a tractor, having farmed in Iowa.
After his discharge, he came back to Iowa to farm with his father until his father suffered a stroke. Bill and the neighbors continued to farm after his father died, until 1961 when Bill and his mother sold the farm and moved with Bill's brother, Stephen, and his wife, Peggy, to their home in Loveland, where Bill lived until his health required him to live in retirement and health care facilities around Loveland.
After a stroke, he resided at the Sierra Vista Health Care Center where he passed away on October 15th peacefully in his sleep.
Bill worked at the Loveland Sugar Factory until he became the janitor at the Loveland Post Office in December of 1962, a job he held until his retirement in 1979.
Bill belonged to the First United Methodist Church and was active in the Searcher's Adult Sunday School Class, the United Methodist Men's Group, and the Serendipity Singles Group. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for 60 years, and held a lifetime membership in that organization. He also belonged to the National Rifle Association of Retired Federal Workers.
After his retirement, Bill went to the North Shore Retirement home and played cards with the patients for 10 years, until he could no longer drive his car. Bill loved to travel and he and his mother toured most of the western part of the United States. After she died at the age of 99, Bill continued to drive all over the area to visit friends and relatives, and he thought getting lost was a bonus of the trip. Bill loved and supported young people and established a scholarship fund at First United Methodist Church with the sale of his home.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Stephen. He is survived by his sister-in-law, Peggy Collins and her husband Douglas; cousins, Darl and Marjorie Kyle, Mildred Spatler and Phyllis Loehoff, all of Keota, Iowa; his caregiver, LesLee Heusinfeld and her husband, Ron; other relatives and a great host of friends.
Memorial services will be held at the First United Methodist Church at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 23, with graveside services in Keota, Iowa.
Bill grew up on the farm and attended a one-room school named Hawkeye No. 1 for his elementary schooling. He then went to the Keota High School where he graduated in 1939. One of his fond remembrances was having a part in his class play while in high school. When Bill graduated from the eighth grade, he was given the opportunity to spend the summer with his grandmother in Wellington, Colorado. This began his love for the Rocky Mountains and Colorado.
After graduation from high school, Bill farmed with his father until his draft notice came in September of 1942 during World War II. Bill served his country until January 1946. He served with the Port Battalion in the South Pacific and most of the time in the Philippines. Bill unloaded supplies and ammunition from ships because he knew how to drive a tractor, having farmed in Iowa.
After his discharge, he came back to Iowa to farm with his father until his father suffered a stroke. Bill and the neighbors continued to farm after his father died, until 1961 when Bill and his mother sold the farm and moved with Bill's brother, Stephen, and his wife, Peggy, to their home in Loveland, where Bill lived until his health required him to live in retirement and health care facilities around Loveland.
After a stroke, he resided at the Sierra Vista Health Care Center where he passed away on October 15th peacefully in his sleep.
Bill worked at the Loveland Sugar Factory until he became the janitor at the Loveland Post Office in December of 1962, a job he held until his retirement in 1979.
Bill belonged to the First United Methodist Church and was active in the Searcher's Adult Sunday School Class, the United Methodist Men's Group, and the Serendipity Singles Group. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for 60 years, and held a lifetime membership in that organization. He also belonged to the National Rifle Association of Retired Federal Workers.
After his retirement, Bill went to the North Shore Retirement home and played cards with the patients for 10 years, until he could no longer drive his car. Bill loved to travel and he and his mother toured most of the western part of the United States. After she died at the age of 99, Bill continued to drive all over the area to visit friends and relatives, and he thought getting lost was a bonus of the trip. Bill loved and supported young people and established a scholarship fund at First United Methodist Church with the sale of his home.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Stephen. He is survived by his sister-in-law, Peggy Collins and her husband Douglas; cousins, Darl and Marjorie Kyle, Mildred Spatler and Phyllis Loehoff, all of Keota, Iowa; his caregiver, LesLee Heusinfeld and her husband, Ron; other relatives and a great host of friends.
Memorial services will be held at the First United Methodist Church at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 23, with graveside services in Keota, Iowa.
On Aug. 2, 1919, a baby boy was born to Floyd and Jean Stephen Carris on a farm in Washington County, Iowa, near the town of Keota. The boy was to be named William Henry Carris and was later called Bill.
Bill grew up on the farm and attended a one-room school named Hawkeye No. 1 for his elementary schooling. He then went to the Keota High School where he graduated in 1939. One of his fond remembrances was having a part in his class play while in high school. When Bill graduated from the eighth grade, he was given the opportunity to spend the summer with his grandmother in Wellington, Colorado. This began his love for the Rocky Mountains and Colorado.
After graduation from high school, Bill farmed with his father until his draft notice came in September of 1942 during World War II. Bill served his country until January 1946. He served with the Port Battalion in the South Pacific and most of the time in the Philippines. Bill unloaded supplies and ammunition from ships because he knew how to drive a tractor, having farmed in Iowa.
After his discharge, he came back to Iowa to farm with his father until his father suffered a stroke. Bill and the neighbors continued to farm after his father died, until 1961 when Bill and his mother sold the farm and moved with Bill's brother, Stephen, and his wife, Peggy, to their home in Loveland, where Bill lived until his health required him to live in retirement and health care facilities around Loveland.
After a stroke, he resided at the Sierra Vista Health Care Center where he passed away on October 15th peacefully in his sleep.
Bill worked at the Loveland Sugar Factory until he became the janitor at the Loveland Post Office in December of 1962, a job he held until his retirement in 1979.
Bill belonged to the First United Methodist Church and was active in the Searcher's Adult Sunday School Class, the United Methodist Men's Group, and the Serendipity Singles Group. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for 60 years, and held a lifetime membership in that organization. He also belonged to the National Rifle Association of Retired Federal Workers.
After his retirement, Bill went to the North Shore Retirement home and played cards with the patients for 10 years, until he could no longer drive his car. Bill loved to travel and he and his mother toured most of the western part of the United States. After she died at the age of 99, Bill continued to drive all over the area to visit friends and relatives, and he thought getting lost was a bonus of the trip. Bill loved and supported young people and established a scholarship fund at First United Methodist Church with the sale of his home.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Stephen. He is survived by his sister-in-law, Peggy Collins and her husband Douglas; cousins, Darl and Marjorie Kyle, Mildred Spatler and Phyllis Loehoff, all of Keota, Iowa; his caregiver, LesLee Heusinfeld and her husband, Ron; other relatives and a great host of friends.
Memorial services will be held at the First United Methodist Church at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 23, with graveside services in Keota, Iowa.
Bill grew up on the farm and attended a one-room school named Hawkeye No. 1 for his elementary schooling. He then went to the Keota High School where he graduated in 1939. One of his fond remembrances was having a part in his class play while in high school. When Bill graduated from the eighth grade, he was given the opportunity to spend the summer with his grandmother in Wellington, Colorado. This began his love for the Rocky Mountains and Colorado.
After graduation from high school, Bill farmed with his father until his draft notice came in September of 1942 during World War II. Bill served his country until January 1946. He served with the Port Battalion in the South Pacific and most of the time in the Philippines. Bill unloaded supplies and ammunition from ships because he knew how to drive a tractor, having farmed in Iowa.
After his discharge, he came back to Iowa to farm with his father until his father suffered a stroke. Bill and the neighbors continued to farm after his father died, until 1961 when Bill and his mother sold the farm and moved with Bill's brother, Stephen, and his wife, Peggy, to their home in Loveland, where Bill lived until his health required him to live in retirement and health care facilities around Loveland.
After a stroke, he resided at the Sierra Vista Health Care Center where he passed away on October 15th peacefully in his sleep.
Bill worked at the Loveland Sugar Factory until he became the janitor at the Loveland Post Office in December of 1962, a job he held until his retirement in 1979.
Bill belonged to the First United Methodist Church and was active in the Searcher's Adult Sunday School Class, the United Methodist Men's Group, and the Serendipity Singles Group. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for 60 years, and held a lifetime membership in that organization. He also belonged to the National Rifle Association of Retired Federal Workers.
After his retirement, Bill went to the North Shore Retirement home and played cards with the patients for 10 years, until he could no longer drive his car. Bill loved to travel and he and his mother toured most of the western part of the United States. After she died at the age of 99, Bill continued to drive all over the area to visit friends and relatives, and he thought getting lost was a bonus of the trip. Bill loved and supported young people and established a scholarship fund at First United Methodist Church with the sale of his home.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Stephen. He is survived by his sister-in-law, Peggy Collins and her husband Douglas; cousins, Darl and Marjorie Kyle, Mildred Spatler and Phyllis Loehoff, all of Keota, Iowa; his caregiver, LesLee Heusinfeld and her husband, Ron; other relatives and a great host of friends.
Memorial services will be held at the First United Methodist Church at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 23, with graveside services in Keota, Iowa.
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