Father Donald C. Ries

Rev. Father Donald C. Ries, 84 of Sioux City passed away on Tuesday, September 11, 2018 at a Sioux City hospital.

A Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, September 15, 2018 at Holy Cross St. Michael Catholic Church. The Most Reverend Bishop R. Walker Nickless will be the principal celebrant. Reverends Richard Ries, Roger Linnan, Richard Sitzmann, Eugene Murray, David Hemann, and Brad Pelzel will concelebrate. Private burial will be in the Calvary Cemetery in Pocahontas, IA. Visitation will be from 4:00-8:00 P.M. Friday, September 14, 2018 with the family present from 6:00-8:00 P.M. and a Vigil service at 7:00 P.M., all at the church. Online condolences may be directed to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Donald C. Ries was born on December 3, 1933 in Pocahontas, IA; he was the son of Sebastian and Amelia (Hronek) Ries. He graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Pocahontas. He attended Loras College in Dubuque, IA, graduated from Mount St. Bernard Seminary in Dubuque, and was ordained a priest for the diocese of Sioux City in May of 1959. He went on to obtain his Masters Degree from Creighton University in Omaha, NE.

Donald influenced multiple communities in various capacities during his 59 years of service in the Sioux City Diocese. His assignments included: St. Mary Parish in Spirit Lake, IA (1959); Bishop Garrigan High School in Algona, IA (1959-1965); St. Bernard Parish in Breda, IA (1965-1969); St. Joseph Parish in Schaller, IA (1969-1971); St. Mary High School in Storm Lake, IA (1969-1971); St. Benedict Parish in Kossuth County, IA (1971-1974); Bishop Garrigan High School in Algona, IA (1971-1974); Sacred Heart Parish in Sutherland, IA (1974-1979); Assumption Parish/St. Thomas Parish in Emmetsburg, IA (1979-1986); St. Boniface Parish in Sioux City, IA (1986-1993); Corpus Christi Parish in Fort Dodge, IA (1993-2000); St. Joseph Parish in Jefferson, SD (2000-2013). He retired in July of 2013 and returned to Sioux City.

Following his retirement, Donald volunteered for Hospice of Siouxland. He was appointed by the Bishop to act as a liaison to the retired priests in the diocese, and introduced the Cursillo Movement into the Sioux City Diocese. In his spare time, Donald enjoyed golfing, playing bridge, and travelling all around the world.

Donald was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by three sisters: Janet Schnabel of St. Cloud, MN, Mary Ann Young of Emmetsburg, IA, and Claire Amelia Ries of Santa Rosa, CA; two brothers: Father Richard Ries of Sibley, IA, William Ries of Pocahontas, IA; and many nieces and nephews.