Charles J. Sabbath
September 4, 1930 - August 30, 2000

Charles J. Sabbath MUSCATINE - Charles John Sabbath, 69, of 807 W. Third St., Muscatine, the man known for his beautiful, pure tenor voice, died Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2000, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, after a courageous nine-year battle with cancer. A service of music and praise will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Zion Lutheran Church, 517 Sycamore St., Muscatine. The Rev. Paul Ostrem and the Rev. Bob Alstrom will officiate. A private interment will be held Tuesday at Greenwood Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sunday at the Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Zion Lutheran Church or the University of Iowa Foundation for Clinical Cancer Research. Pallbearers will be his grandsons and nephews, Jeffrey Sabbath, Michael Sabbath, Matthew Reusswig, Philip Reusswig, Tim Miller and Nathan Drucker. Honorary pallbearers will be Joseph Quinn and Charles Quinn. Mr. Sabbath was born on Sept. 4, 1930, in Sweetland Township in Muscatine County, the son of Walter and Marie Grunder Sabbath. Barbara Ann Boynton became his bride on June 6, 1953. He graduated from Augustana College in 1953 with a bachelor of arts degree in music education. He obtained his master's degree in vocal music from the University of Iowa in 1956. He served in the U.S. Army from 1953 until 1955, and was stationed in Germany. For a number of years he was director of vocal music at Muscatine High School and also Muscatine Community College. In 1961, he purchased the Roth Lumber Company and operated the business until 1991. He owned C. J. Car Wash in Muscatine at the time of his death. He was a fourth-generation member of the Zion Lutheran Church where he served as the choir director for several years and also sang as a member of the choir for many years. There were periods of time when he served as choir director at First Baptist Church and Mulford Evangelical Free Church. Members of all three congregations remember with fondness the sound of his beautiful tenor voice and his love of music. He was a member of the Muscatine Chamber of Commerce, Geneva Golf and Country Club, the ''33'' Club, the V.F.W. and the Muscatine County Cattlemen's Association where he received the 1993 ''Hall of Frame'' Award. He also served as a past president of the Muscatine Salvation Army Advisory Board. His faith sustained him throughout his long illness, and in spite of his health, he continued to sing at funerals, weddings, church services and for other groups until this past year. Everyone who heard him enjoyed that wonderful voice. Those who knew him best are convinced that the choirs of heaven sound even richer today. He lived a full life and one of the prime sources of his enjoyment included his family. Survivors include his wife, Barbara Sabbath of Muscatine; two daughters, Sara Sabbath Reusswig and her husband, David, of Muscatine, and Beth Sabbath and her husband, Timothy S. Quinn, of Vienna, Virginia; six grandchildren, Matthew Sabbath Reusswig, Philip David Reusswig and Emily Ann Reusswig, all of Muscatine, and Joseph Michael Quinn, Ione Marie Quinn and Charles Walter Quinn of Vienna, Virginia; one brother, John W. Sabbath of Cedar Falls; and one sister, Betty Miller and her husband, Arthur, of Muscatine. He was preceded in death by his parents.

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