Walter Emil, son of Gustav A. and Wilhelmina Anna Fischer Ress, was born March 28, 1909, in Lincoln Township, Audubon County, Iowa. In 1909, he was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lincoln Township. He attended grade school in Manilla until the sixth grade, and then Lutheran school in Lincoln Township until he was confirmed March 24, 1924. He then worked on the family farm. During the depression he farmed with his sister Ida Jochimsen and her husband Herman, and then worked with his brother Hugo Ress in a repair shop in Manning.

Walter was working as a hired hand near Schleswig when he met his wife Lucille E. Reimers. On February 21, 1946, they were united in marriage at the Lutheran parsonage in Schleswig. One daughter was born to this union. They farmed near Schleswig for two years before moving to a farm west of Aspinwall. In 1953 they farmed north of Manning until moving to town in 1969. Walter then drove an egg & cream route until officially retiring in 1979. To keep busy, he mowed lawns and removed snow in his spare time. Walter was a member of Zion Lutheran Church and enjoyed horses and visiting with neighbors and friends.

Walter had been in failing health since suffering heart problems in 1992. On December 10, 1998, he entered the Manilla Manor, and on February 21, 1999, Walter died at Manning Regional Healthcare Center. He reached the age of 89 years, 10 months and 24 days.

Besides his parents, Walter was preceded in death by a brother Ernst Ress; three sisters: Clara Hammer, Ella Asmus, and Pauline Lake; a sister-in-law Ola Ress; four brothers-in-law: Herman Jochimsen, Willie Hansen, Joe Hoelscher, and Rockley Wenzel.

He is survived by his wife Lucille Ress of Manning; one daughter Janice Ress of Manning; one brother Hugo Ress of Manning; four sisters: Ida Jochimsen of the Manning Plaza; Edna Hansen of Omaha, Nebraska; Anna Hoelscher of Perry; Norma Wenzel of Perham, Minnesota; an uncle Herman Fischer of the Manning Plaza; and by nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.