Brice O. Bessman, 87 of Wellsburg, Iowa passed away on Sunday, March 4, 2012 at the Grundy Care Center in Grundy Center, Iowa. Funeral service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, March 8, 2012 at St. John's United Church of Christ in Ackley, Iowa. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery in Ackley, with military rites being conducted by the Wellsburg AMVETS Post No. 91 and American Legion Post No. 213. A visitation will be held Wednesday, March 7, 2012 from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. at Doyen-Abels Funeral Home in Wellsburg, Iowa. Memorials may be directed to the family.
Brice was born on July 25, 1924 in Hardin County, Iowa near Buckeye. He was the son of George Bessman and Marie (Willig) Bessman. Brice was raised in the Buckeye and Alden areas. In his youth he moved to Wellsburg. He graduated from Wellsburg High School with the class of 1942. Brice served in the Army-Air Force from 1946-1947 stationed in Tokyo, Japan.
Brice was united in marriage to Irene Lindaman on August 20, 1950 at St. Peter's United Church of Christ in rural Wellsburg. Brice farmed the family farm for 36 years retiring in 1986. After retiring from farming he worked at the Wellsburg Elevator Company for 5 years. He helped Jon Michaelson for 11 years.
Brice was a member of St. John's United Church of Christ in Ackley, the Wellsburg Community Club, the Wellsburg AMVETS and the American Legion.
Through life Brice enjoyed his grandchildren and attending all of their activities. He enjoyed playing cards and looked forward to the nights of Jolly Boys. Baseball was his sport. In his earlier days he played for Thirty Plus and enjoyed watching Mark and Terry play fast pitch softball for the Wellsburg Fast Pitch Softball Team. He always talked of the bus trip to Casey, Illinois. Brice always enjoyed a good story or joke.
Brice will be dearly missed by his wife Irene; son Mark Bessman and special friend Brenda Anderson; daughter Diane (Terry) Babcock; granddaughter Candi (Dustin) Meyer; grandson Chase Babcock and great-grandson Alex Meyer. He is also survived by his sisters Minnie Eddy and Eileen Schultz; brother Don (Bonnie) Bessman; sisters-in-law Martha Bessman and Betty Kakacek; brothers-in-law Merle Whitmire and Robert Moore and many nieces and nephews.
He will join in eternal life, his parents, sisters Ruth Roegner, Lois Moore and DeLilah Whitmire; brother Zeal Bessman; brothers-in-law Jack Eddy, Don Roegner, Bill Schultz, Stan Kakacek and Wallace Lindaman; and great-granddaughter Claire Meyer.