Rufus Boes, 89 of Carroll, died early Thursday morning, October 2, 2014 at the Carroll Health Center Nursing Home in Carroll.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday, October 6, 2014 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Fr. Timothy Schott. Music will be by Marcy Anderson and the St. Lawrence Choir. Cantor will be Michelle Phillips. Soloist will be Scott Masching. Lector for the funeral mass will be Darwin Schulte. Gift Bearers will be granddaughters: Michelle Burgher, Holly Honsey, Mindy Bylund, Trisha Steffes, Teresa Done, Tina Reimer, Jenna Lambertz, Samantha Mack, Kelly Schneider, Cassie Hausman, Caitlin Hausman, Kinsey Gorrell, Kari Luce, Paige Kasperbauer and Bailey Kanne. Eucharistic Ministers will be Don Masching, Ann Christiansen and Lynette Lehrter. Casket Bearers will be grandsons: Daryl Boes Jr., Scott Steffes, Charlie Cain Jr., Dan Boes, Tom Boes, Jon Boes, Joe Boes, Jason Lambertz, Casey Coppock, Stephan Coppock, and Brandon Masching. Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Carroll with military honors conducted by the Carroll American Legion.
Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 4:30 p.m. on Sunday where there will be a rosary at 5 p.m. and a Christian Wake Service at 7 p.m. The casket will be moved to St. Lawrence Church at 9 a.m. on Monday where visitation will resume until time of the funeral mass.
Memorials may be left at the funeral home or the church for the Carroll American Legion.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for the family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Rufus was born on December 2, 1924 at Breda, Iowa the son of Joseph and Appolonia (Walz) Boes. He attended St. Bernard’s Grade School and later graduated from St. Bernard’s High School. Rufus served in the United States Army during WWII where he was stationed in England at a medical hospital. Following his honorable discharge he returned to the Breda area.
On February 6, 1947 he was united in marriage to Doris Schulte at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Breda. The couple farmed west of Breda, and also near Coon Rapids until 1966 when they moved to the Carroll Community. Rufus stayed in the agriculture field as he was employed by Agri-Bolt and Cenpeco Oil Company. In their younger years Rufus and Doris thoroughly enjoyed dancing at the Lakewood Ballroom. An avid sports fan, Rufus enjoyed watching golf and cheering for the Iowa Hawkeyes. He also enjoyed watching the Lawrence Welk Show, gardening and traveling.
Following the passing of his wife Doris in November of 2012, Rufus became a resident of Westwood Knolls in Carroll and later the Carroll Health Center Nursing Home where he passed away on Thursday morning. Rufus was a member of St. Lawrence Parish, Carroll American Legion, and former member of the Elk’s Lodge.
Survivors include his children: Daryl (Jayne) Boes of Mesa, AZ, Beverly Steffes of West Des Moines, Peggy (Chuck) Cain of Ankeny, Michael (Jan) Boes of Urbandale, Cindy (Jim) Lambertz of Carroll, Lori (Clay) Coppock of Windsor Heights, Sandy (John) Hausman of Gilbert, AZ, and Tammi (Bob) Masching of Elk Horn, NE; 25 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; his in-laws: Elsie Boes of Fontanelle, Norma Jean Gehling of Carroll, Darwin (Kay) Schulte of West Des Moines and Pam (John) McCaslin of Omaha; as well as other extended relatives.
Rufus was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Doris in 2012; his parents-in-law Edmund and Agnes Schulte; his siblings: Cyril, Vince, Hilda, Ermina, Johanna, Annabelle, Alvina, and Edna.
