Irvin "Bing" E. Ries, 88, passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 18, 2009, at LaCrosse Health and Rehabilitation Center in Coeur d’Alene, ID.
Irvin was born June 21, 1921 in Casselton, ND to John B. and Mary Ries. He graduated from Casselton High School in 1939 where he lettered in football, track and basketball. At the outbreak of WWII he was drafted into the U.S. Army Signal Corps where he was deployed to the Pacific Theatre and was involved in the conflicts in New Guinea and the Philippines. He was a Signal Corpsman on the ship returning McArthur’s wife and son to the Philippines after it was reclaimed by the United States in 1944. After the war he worked with his brothers, Henry (Heinie), and Leon (Bob) at Ries Standard Service in Casselton for six years. He then was employed for the next six years by Standard Oil of Indiana as a regional salesman for Eastern North Dakota. The next twenty-six years he was employed by Champlin Petroleum in the upper Midwest, covering the states of Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and North Dakota. He retired from Champlin and moved from Prior Lake, MN to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. His hobbies included: gardening, fishing, and watching the Minnesota Vikings.
Irvin was a lifetime member of the American Legion, Elks, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
He is preceded in death by his parents, wife, Anne Kraft; sisters, Leona Ries and Lorraine Startz; brothers, Henry, Arthur and Leon. Surviving Bing is his dear wife of 28 years, Helen of Coeur d’ Alene, ID; step-daughters, Susan (Gary) Heston, Julie (Timber) Turner; four grandsons, Matthew and Jared Heston, Chase and Titus Turner, all of Coeur d’Alene, ID; nephew and godson, Robert (Bridgette) Startz, Oxbow, ND; great nephews, Sebastian and Thomas Startz; and nieces and nephews.
Visitation: Friday from 6:00-7:00 pm. at St. Leo’s Catholic Church, Casselton, ND, with prayer service at 7:00 p.m.
Celebration of Life Funeral Service: Saturday, October 24, 2009 at 10:00 am at St. Leo’s Catholic Church, Casselton, ND, with visitation one hour prior to the service.
Burial: St. Leo’s Cemetery, Casselton, ND
Condolences can be sent online westfuneralhome.com
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