August Edward "AugE" Kerres

August Edward "AugE" Kerres

August Edward ""AugE"" Kerres, 92, of Edgington, Ill. passed on Friday, November 24, 2023 at the Iowa City VA Medical Center, Iowa City, Iowa after a brief illness. A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 am Friday, December 1, 2023 at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 9619 140th Street West, Taylor Ridge, Ill. Visitation will be from 4-8 pm Thursday, November 30, 2023 in the south gymnasium at Rockridge High School 14110 134th Avenue West, Taylor Ridge, Ill. Those planning on attending are kindly asked not to arrive until 4 pm in consideration of the student body being dismissed from school. Burial will take place in the Edgington Cemetery where military honors will be presented by the Reynolds American Legion Post 1166. Memorials may be made in care of the family to establish a memorial fund in the near future. Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, Milan, is assisting the family.
AugE was born in Kewanee, Illinois to August J. Kerres and Miriam (Hartman) Kerres. The family moved to Edgington and began AugE's love for and involvement in his community. AugE graduated from Reynolds High School in 1949 where he was a football player, cheerleader, and Homecoming King.
After working several jobs, AugE worked at Ben Rummel's service station in Edgington. AugE then partnered with brother-in-law Louis Fowler to run the station, and eventually was sole owner of Kerres Garage. AugE ran the garage until 1988 when although the doors officially closed, he helped keep the farmers running for decades.
AugE used his uncanny mechanic's ability to repair and maintain Bell helicopters when serving in the Korean War as an Army Sergeant. Although he would never share it, his family found multiple letters of commendation and a Bronze Star he earned for his service. He was offered a job in Texas by Mr. Bell himself, but AugE responded ""Thank you, but I think I'll just go home to Edgington.""
Being a veteran himself, AugE was passionate about supporting those who served. He felt the Army and his time in Korea was positive, and he wanted to pay back for those who sacrificed so much. He was an American Legion member for 68 years serving as Commander several times. He drove the VA van for 25 years, arranged and participated in Honor Guard for 35 years, and put flags up at the Legion and the Edgington Cemetery three times a year for many years. AugE was also a volunteer fireman for 64 years.
AugE was involved with the Rockridge Rockets for decades first and foremost as a Super Fan. He attended school board meetings for more than 35 years, parked cars at the high school for 50 years, painted hash marks for Rockridge band practice field for 15 years, drove school bus for 25 years, and worked on buses in the bus barn until only a couple months ago.
AugE had a lot of fun volunteering. He sang in St. Patrick's choir for 54 years, made ice cream for local churches and the fire station and put on kiddie tractor pulls for 57 years. He really never stopped working, continuing farm and machinery repair from 1953 to 2023.
AugE was so proud of his family and had so much fun supporting their activities. If you knew AugE, you knew his sweetheart Mary Rose, his wife of 67 years. You also knew he loved dogs, with many beloved over the years including Brownie, Tripod, Cricket, and Fleabe.
AugE married his sweetie Mary Rose (McGee) on May 19, 1956 in Rock Island, IL. They made their life in Edgington, raising four children together.
AugE is survived by his wife of 67 years, Mary Rose; children, Kathleen (Pat) Begyn, Diane (Tim) Keller, Mike (Julie) Kerres and Christine (Joe) Malecki; grandchildren Erica (Travis) Figanbaum, Ben (Kristi) Keller, Dustin (Lindsay) Begyn, Holley (Tyson) Blaser, Cole (Abbey) Kerres, Sarah (Tony) Brown, Annie Malecki, Jonah Malecki and Luke Malecki; great grandchildren, Allyson Begyn, Maddison Figanbaum, Kylie Figanbaum, Rolin Begyn, Laney Keller, Wheeler Begyn, Bryce Blaser, Brooklyn Blaser, Augustine Keller, Lane Brown, Beau Kerres, Isabella Brown, and baby Kerres due next year; and siblings, Ron (Patty) Kerres and Marilyn Spivey.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Martha Jean, sister and brother-in-law, Dorothy and Louis Fowler, brother, Gary Kerres and brother-in-law, Roger Spivey.
Online condolences, memories and expressions of sympathy may be left for the family at wheelanpressly.com
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