Douglas Gress
Jerseyville |
Douglas Paul Gress Sr., 65, died unexpectedly at 4:06 p.m., Thursday, June 30, 2022, in the Emergency Room at Jersey Community Hospital.
He was born on May 30, 1957, in Jerseyville, one of four children born to the late Paul and Verna June (Matthews) Gress.
He married the former Ella Nadine Ontis on June 12, 1976, at St. Norbert Catholic Church in Hardin, and together they recently celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary.
Doug grew up in Hardin, Illinois, and spent the majority of his adult life residing in the Rosedale/Nutwood area, where he and Nadine raised their family.
He was employed for many years with Beall Manufacturing in East Alton, as well as Hawk Motors in Alton, before purchasing Tom’s Radiator Shop in Jerseyville which he owned and operated until his health necessitated his retirement in 2010.
Doug developed a passion for canning from a young age, a tradition he carried on with his children, and also enjoyed spending time outdoors, hunting, fishing, gardening, and camping.
He also had a deep admiration for bluegrass music and was always eager to gather his friends and family together for fish fries at the family home.
Surviving are his wife, Nadine Gress of Nutwood; two daughters and sons-in-law, Kristy and Michael Bradshaw of Fieldon and Lori and John Golden of Elsah; a son, Douglas Paul “Dougie” Gress Jr. of Nutwood; five grandchildren, Cody, Paige, and Ella Bradshaw and Alex and Chandler Cain; a brother and sister-in-law, Phil and Brenda Gress of Hardin; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Jill Rulon of Salina, Kansas and Renee and Tim Sagez of Hardin; a sister in law, Brenda Bailey of Brighton; two brothers in –law and sisters-in-law, Roger and Vicki Ontis of Elsah and Walter “Frosty” and Laura Ontis of Rosedale; as well as many nieces and nephews, including Patrick Wangler, his nephew, and special buddy.
He was preceded in death by his parents, June and Paul Gress; paternal grandparents, Val and Elizabeth Gress; maternal grandmother, Ruby Matthews; a nephew, Jason Sagez; a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Bill and Linda Wangler; as well as a brother-in-law, Corky Bailey.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, July 6, 2022, at Crawford Funeral Home in Jerseyville where funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Thursday. Rev. Phil Grable will officiate.
Burial will follow at Rosedale Cemetery.
For those desiring, memorials may be given to the family, to assist in the placement of a monument at Doug’s gravesite.
Memories may be shared with the family by visiting www.crawfordfunerals.com
Crawford Funeral Home
