W.E. "Bill" Reding

W.E. "Bill" Reding, 81, of Sioux City died Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2007, at a Sioux City hospital.

Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Morningside Lutheran Church. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. today, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel.

Bill, the son of Ernest and Glennie (Petty) Reding, was born July 5, 1925, in Storm Lake, Iowa. He attended Newell, Iowa, schools, graduating in 1943. He then served with the U.S. Army as an infantryman during World War II in the South Pacific. He attained the rank of staff sergeant and was award the Bronze Star Medal and the Distinguished Service Medal.

He married Verla Haahr in Newell, Iowa, on Dec. 1, 1946. The couple owned and operated a grocery store in Plover, Iowa, for four years. In 1951, he became a district manager for the Des Moines Register and Tribune. He operated a food store for Bowen and Grupp in Thompson, Iowa, then joined the Fareway Store organization in Storm Lake. He later joined the Council Oak Stores in Sioux City. When this chain was purchased by the National Tea Company of Chicago, Ill., he joined their organization and held several positions throughout the years. He served as a store clerk, assistant manager, manager and district manager. Over the next several years, he was promoted to produce buyer, sales manager and general manager for the Sioux City division and became general manager for the R-Way Corporation. In 1973, he started a construction company dealing in remodeling homes and new construction. Later, he acquired a Wick Home franchise and maintained a model home outside Salix, Iowa. During this

time, he also sold boats.

He served on the Wick advisory board in Madison, Wis. He also held an Iowa real estate license. His hobbies included fishing, woodworking and traveling. He was a member of the Morningside Lutheran Church, the 33rd Infantry Division Association, the American Legion Post 125 of Merrill, Iowa, and the Sioux City Home Builders Association.

Survivors include his wife, Verla; a son, Steven (Shari Jordan) Reding of Bigfork, Mont.; two daughters, Nancy (Phil) Steffes of Prior Lake, Minn., and Janet (Rob) Bohling of Johnson, Neb.; grandchildren, Jim (Jill) Steffes, Debra and Matt Steffes, Courtney (Sean) Murphy and Trenton Bohling; and a great-grandchild, McKenna Murphy.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and a younger brother, Dale.

Memorials may be directed to the American Lung Association.