George Edward Childress

Alvord, IA George Childress, age 79, of Alvord, IA, died Saturday, December 6, 2008 at Sanford Hospital of Rock Rapids. Funeral service will be 10:30 AM, Tuesday, December 9th at the Christ Lutheran Church in Alvord, IA, with Rev. Carla Jensen officiating. Burial will follow in the Christ Lutheran Cemetery of Alvord, IA, with military honors by the Alvord American Legion Post #704. Visitation will be Monday, December 8th from 2:00 " 8:00 PM, with the family present from 6:00 " 8:00 PM at the Jurrens Funeral Home of Rock Rapids. George Edward Childress was born on October 29, 1929, the son of Jasper Cletus and Mildred Matilda (Cohrt) Childress in Alvord, Iowa. He was raised in Alvord and attended country school and graduated from Alvord High School in 1947. George fought in the Korean Conflict. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart during ceremonies in Korea. He was cited for deliberately exposing himself to enemy sniper fire to detect their positions. On November 22, 1953, he married Elaine June Kroeger at the Christ Lutheran Church in Alvord, IA. The couple farmed for many years in the Lyon county area and then retired and moved to Alvord. George was a lifelong member of the Christ Lutheran Church of Alvord and a member of the Alvord American Legion Post #704. His love was farming and his Oliver tractors. He also enjoyed coaching his three sons in little league softball and in later years the Alvord fast pitch town team. George also spent a lot of time umpiring in the summers and attending his children's and grandchildren's sporting events. He loved sports so much that he even attended games after entering the nursing home. Hunting pheasant and deer, and fishing at Lake Pahoja were his favorite pastimes. Woodworking took up much of his time even to the point that he made sure each child and grandchild had a special piece made just for them. George is survived by his wife of fifty-five years, Elaine Childress of Alvord; four children, Dave (wife Carol) Childress of Alvord, Rick (wife Birdie) Childress of Larchwood, Nancy (husband Ken) Kerkvliet of Larchwood, and Barb (husband Sam) Geigle of Yankton, SD; daughter-in-law, Cindy (husband Dan) Nagel of Larchwood; fifteen grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren; one sister, Loey Klein of Sioux Falls, SD and two brothers, Larry Childress of Humbolt, IA and Steve Childress of California; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, and one son Randy Childress.