Matthew "Matt" Niess

Matthew 'Matt' Niess

April 6, 1927 - July 26, 2017

OSAGE | Matthew Joseph Niess, age 90, of Osage, died Wednesday, July 26, 2017 at his home in Osage.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 31, 2017, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Osage with Father Raymond Burkle officiating. Burial will be at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Osage with military honors at the grave by Osage American Legion Post 278. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sunday at the Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home in Osage, with a 4th Degree Knights of Columbus Rosary at 6:00 p.m. with a time of sharing to follow.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the family.

Matt was born April 6, 1927, on the family farm near Meyer, the son Joseph and Celia (Adams) Niess. He attended school and graduated from Visitation Catholic School in Stacyville. He served with the United States Army during WWII as a Military Police. Matt was united in marriage to Dorothy Bonoff on June 25, 1949, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Osage. He farmed most of his adult life. Matt was a member of Sacred Heart Church serving as a Trustee, Eucharistic Minister, Lector, Cantor and Choir member. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus where he served as Grand Knight, District Deputy and a 4th Degree member, American Legion Post 278 where he served as Past Commander and Chaplain of the Memorial Squad and a member of Osage V.F.W. Post 7920. Matt also served as Past Presidents of the of Osage Co-op Elevator Board, Mitchell County Farm Bureau, Twin Cedar Cattle Marketing Association and Mitchell County Cattleman. VOCA – Volunteers for Overseas Cooperative Assistance was very important to Matt he served five years and worked in ten different countries; Russia – twice, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Bulgaria, Belarus, Ukraine, Siberia and Moldova.  He enjoyed family, friends and especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Matt is survived by his wife, Dorothy Niess of Osage; children: Tom (Pat) Niess of  Buffalo Center, Julie (Greg) Vulk of Decorah, Jody (Dale) Niess –Ellickson of Decorah, Cindy (Randy) Schissel of Decorah, Tim (Jane) Niess of Des Moines, Christy (Dick) Truxaw of Flagler Beach, Florida, Laurie (Bill) Gisleson of Osage, Scott (Julie) Niess of Osage, Brian (Cari) Niess of Windsor, Colorado; 27 grandchildren; 7 step-grandchildren; 38 great- grandchildren; 12 step great grandchildren; 14 God children; sisters, Rita Schrandt of Stacyville, Joan (Deo) Koenigs of St. Ansgar, sisters-in-law; Delores Niess Osage, and Mary (Al) Kluesner of Edina, Minnesota; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; father and mother-in-law; brothers and sisters, Edmund Niess, Helen (Bill) Bena, Francis (Veronica) Niess, Mary (Bill) Anderson, Gustav Niess, Sister Catherine Niess, OSF, Celia (Floyd) Guy, Margaret (Bill) Tray and Joseph Jr (Norma) Niess; sister-in-law, Luella Bonoff; and brother-in-law, Fritz Schrandt.

Information available and condolences accepted at www.champion-bucheitfuneralhome.com

Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home. 641-732-3706