trips across the Mediterranean ferrying American, French, and British troops, equipment and supplies from North Africa to Sicily and Italian POW's back. He then was involved in the invasions of Italy and Normandy. He completed his service in postwar China with the rank of Chief. He married Genevieve Carroll on June 14, 1947, and they farmed and raised a family in Seventy-six Township. She preceded him in death on November 3, 2011. He had a 100 head purebred Hereford cow herd selling bulls and 4-H calves. He was a member of the former St. Malachy's Church of Ardon, a rural school board member, 4-H leader, VFW and American Legion member, founding member of the Board of Directors of Peoples National Bank, Columbus Junction (now Community Bank), past member of Muscatine County Cattleman's Association and the Muscatine County Pork Producers, township trustee and lifelong member of Iowa Hereford Breeders Association. He believed a person should be involved in making their community a better place to live. He had a love of local, state, and national politics. Coming of age during the Great Depression he was an FDR loyalist, a delegate for Hubert Humphrey at the state convention and hosted Vice President Walter Mondale on the farm. He enjoyed animal husbandry and taking truckloads of fat cattle to the Chicago stockyards. Those left to honor his memory include; five sons, Joe, Tom and wife, Becky, of Letts, Patrick and wife, Debbie, of Temecula, California, Dan and wife, Suzy, of Prescott, Arizona, and William and wife, Meg, of Iowa City; one daughter, Maureen Daley and husband, Tim, of New Hartford; 14 grandchildren, Andrea and Jessica Furlong, Lucas, Jacob and Ezekiel Furlong, Patrick Furlong, Bryce, Karen and Doug Furlong, Meaghan, Erin and Sean Daley, and Anna and Ned Furlong; and four great-grandchildren. Maurice was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; one son, Jerry, in 1981; brothers, James, Edward, and Leo; and sisters, Monica Furlong and Alice Noll.
Ralph J Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home
Muscatine, IA 52761
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