navigation | home family card | index | surnames | contact Person Sheet Name Clarence John Gess Birth 28 Feb 1914, Peoria, Illinois Death 9 Dec 1994, Merrimac, Wisconsin Burial Oak Knoll, Sterling, Illinois Occupation Lutheran pastor Education Wartburg College, Capitol Seminary Religion Lutheran Spouses 1 Eleanor Augusta Wiederanders Birth 27 Feb 1913, Hecla, South Dakota Death 31 Aug 2006, Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin Burial 5 Sept 2006, Oak Knoll, Sterling, Illinois Occupation Teacher, homemaker Education Wartburg College, 1935 Religion Lutheran Father Carl Anton Wiederanders (1887-1971) Mother Minna Amanda Beyer (1889-1975) Marriage 10 Aug 1939, Toledo, Ohio Children Marian Joyce (1947-) Paul Brian (1949-) Notes for Clarence John Gess Clarence attended Wartbug College in Clinton, Iowa, where he met Eleanor. His older brother was also a student there, and thus Clarence acquired the nickname "Junie" (for Junior). Clarence graduated from Capitol Seminary in Columbus, Ohio, and was ordained in 1939. He and Eleanor were married on August 10th of the same year. They moved to Yorktown, where Junie had his first pastorate. Ten years later they moved to Benson, Illinois, where they raised their family and remained until his retirement. Clarence and Eleanor had a foster child, John Brant, whom they would have liked to adopt. They subsequently adopted Marian in 1947 and Paul in 1949. After he retired, Clarence continued to work as an assistant pastor in Merrimac, Wisconsin, where the couple lived near their daughter Marian. In 1989, Clarence celebrated the 50-year anniversary of his ordination as well as the 50th anniversary with Eleanor. Clarence died in 1994. Created 17 Jan 2006 using Reunion for Macintosh Last modified 17 Jan 2006 [ return to family card] navigation | home family card | index | surnames | contact