August Gross

Celebration of Life Services: Will be held on Saturday, December 7, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle with burial in the Fontanelle Cemetery. A luncheon will be held at the church following the committal services at the cemetery. Pastor Steven Broers will officiate the service.  

Open Visitation: Will be held on Friday, December 6, 2019, at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle from 2:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

Family Visitation: The family will greet friends on Friday evening at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

Memorials: Memorials may be directed to the August “Gus” Gross Memorial Fund to be established by the family at a later date. 

August Herman Gross was called home on December 3, 2019. He was born February 4, 1927 to August Gross and Pauline (Ritter) Gross in Jackson Township, Adair County, Iowa. He was baptized by the Rev. AJ Seegers on April 3, 1927. He attended the rural schools of Adair County and was confirmed in the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle, IA. He lived his entire life on the family farm west of Fontanelle, with the exception of the past five years living at the Good Samaritan Society in Fontanelle.

August (Gus) was united in marriage to Frances Emma Langguth on February 4, 1951. To this union, they were blessed with three children: Lori Louise, Eric August and Jill Christine.

“Gus” wasn’t a stranger to anyone. You could hear his jovial laugh as he visited with everyone, be it family, friend, or stranger. He loved having an extra quarter or a Snickers candy bar in his pocket to give to some unsuspecting individual. When asked how he was doing, his answer would be, “Better than I deserve.” During his retirement years, it gave him great pleasure to meet with friends at the local businesses for coffee and conversation. He loved attending local auctions in quest of red glassware. First and foremost, Gus was a farmer and cattle producer, loving the change of seasons, striving to better the land and recognizing that he was not in control, but God was. You often heard him say, “This land is not mine but God’s.” It was with joy each spring that he welcomed the return of the purple martins. He loved mowing the hay fields and was in awe with how the barn swallows always followed. In his younger years, he served on many local boards and church committees.

He loved his family and was a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather. He especially enjoyed fun at the county fair with his grandchildren, and touring the family farm with the kids in his pickup.

He is survived by his wife Frances of 68 years; his children: Lori and husband Lance Overmyer of Omaha, NE, Eric and his wife Sarah Gross of Fontanelle, IA, and Jill Allegri of Leawood, KS; six grandchildren whom he loved unconditionally: Krystal and husband Jonathon Braden of Arlington, VA, Erica and husband Adam Hilkemann of Dallas, TX, Rebecca Gross of Chicago, IL, Christine Gross of Urbandale, IA, Ashley Allegri of St. Louis, MO, and Thomas Allegri of Lawrence, KS; two great granddaughters: Heidi and Petra Hilkemann of Dallas, TX; sister-in-laws Irma Jean Mitchell of Greenfield, IA and Jane Langguth of Fontanelle, IA; and many nieces, nephews and other friends and relatives. Preceding Gus in death were his parents August and Pauline Gross and brother-in-laws Fritz Langguth and Ralph Mitchell.