Joseph F. Blass

Joseph F. Blass, age 67, of Early, Iowa, passed away Friday, November 28, 2003, at his home.

Joseph Franklin Blass was born April 22, 1936, in Nemaha, Iowa, the first son of Martin Blass and Wilma (Hooper) Blass. He grew up helping to care for the animals that were part of the family farming operation. After graduating from Sac City High School in 1954, marrying Marlene Cook of Nemaha, and becoming a father to son Brian and daughter Jolene, he graduated from Iowa State, as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1961, with the distinction of Phi Zeta.

During the next 16 years he lived in Lake View, Iowa, and his life centered around the animals, their owners and friends, raising his children and helping other children in the community, especially through 4-H and as School Board President, and always made farming part of his life too.

In 1977, with a new wife Dee Buller and her two sons, they moved to Clarksville, Arkansas where he continued to center his life around veterinary medicine and children. Being a Mason and a Shriner, he was instrumental in organizing the Shrine Group in Clarksville which helped many physically impaired children in that area.

In 1984 he came back to Iowa and was appointed by the USDA, Area Veterinarian in Charge of Northeast Iowa. After contracting an animal disease, he was forced to retire in 1993 and moved back to Sac County. Although Veterinary Medicine could no longer be part of his active life, he kept busy farming, restoring tractors, building radio controlled model airplanes, and restoring the farm where he had spent time as a boy with his grandparents.

He is survived by his grandchildren Amy and Craig Blass of Sac City; his wife Dee and step-son Dan Buller with his daughters Ellen and Anna of Shreveport, LA, and step- son Ken Blass and his wife Kari of Libertyville, IL; parents Martin and Wilma Blass of Early, IA; three brothers: Jim Blass and his wife Gloria of Sac City; Ted Blass and his wife Virginia and their son Matt of Sac City, and Tim Blass of Early; niece Kellie Highland and her husband Kent and their children Jay and Jamie of Sac City; a special cousin Shari Busch and her husband Ben of Sac City; numerous cousins and their families, many friends; and his best friend, his dog Brownie.

His son Brian, his daughter Jolene and nephew Ty preceded him in death.

Visitation is on Tuesday, December 2, 2003, at 1:00 p.m.with the memorial services following at 2:00 p.m., at the Farber & Otteman Funeral Home in Sac City with Rev. Karl Schultz officiating. Mary Townsend will be the organist. Honorary pallbearers include: Johnny Everts, Dale Kreft, Dean Stock, Jim Blass, Ted Blass, Tim Blass, and Kent Highland. Burial will be at the Early Union Cemetery in Early.