James "Jim" Drees
Jim Drees died peacefully on Monday, June 20, 2022, under the care of St. Anthony Hospice and Garden View Assisted Living in Carroll, Iowa. He would have been 92 years old on July 6.

There will not be any local visitation or memorial service. The family that Jim and Pat created will gather later to honor him and share memories. If friends have memories of Jim, we would appreciate you sending them to Jay Drees at 15226, 280th Street, Manning, Iowa, 51455, and we will share them with the rest of the family. In lieu of flowers, memorials are not necessary, but if any are desired, the family will be putting them towards Iowa Public Radio. Jim appreciated both the factual news that IPR reported and the music they provided.

The Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll is assisting with arrangements and online condolences for Jim's family may be left at www.sharpfuneral.com.

James "Jim" Henry Drees was born to parents Henry Anthony and Marie Catherine (Sextro) Drees on July 6, 1930, at their home north and east of Manning. He was the second oldest of five children: Herb, Jim, Mary Lou, Joan, and Dean.

At the age of four, while helping his dad and their hired man outside, Jim was struck by lightning. He was knocked unconscious and blinded. He regained sight in one eye but never in the other.

Jim attended Sacred Heart Catholic School in Templeton through tenth grade. During his junior and senior year, he boarded in Carroll and attended high school there. Jim graduated from Carroll High School in 1947.

After high school, Jim briefly attended Iowa State College and worked in North Dakota. He was a pitcher for the Manning American Legion Baseball Team. Once his father became ill, Jim returned to the family farm.

Jim first farmed with his brother Herb, then on his own, and finally with his son Jay. He raised feeder cattle, had a cow-calf herd, and grew corn and soybeans.

After meeting Pat Ramsey, he built a house for them on the farm. He and Patricia Joanne Ramsey were married January 29, 1955, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Manning. They welcomed three sons into their family: Jeffrey James, Jay Patrick, and Nicholas Todd. Jim was very proud of his sons and that he and Pat provided college educations for them.

In addition to being a life-long farmer, Jim was interested in current events and politics. He was a Director of the Carroll County Beef Producers, a Director of Carroll Extension Service, and the Ewoldt Township Democratic Chairperson.

Jim was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 1994 and served three terms, representing Carroll and Greene Counties, until 2000.

Jim enjoyed reading, walking, golfing, playing cards, and visiting with family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents Henry and Marie Drees, parents-in-law Mayburn and Phyllis Ramsey, wife Pat Drees, son Nick Drees, sister Mary Lou Drees, brother Herb Drees, sister and brother-in-law Joan and Don Bauer, brother-in-law and wife Jim and Barb Ramsey.

Jim is survived by his two sons and their wives and his daughter in-in-law: Jeff and Gail Drees, Jay and Maureen Drees, and Edith Drees. He is survived by his six grandchildren and their families: Nathan and Melissa Drees and their sons Brock and Brew, James Drees and Catherine Benton and their daughters Kenzie and Erin, Danielle Drees and Timothy Lundy, Jonathan Drees and Valeria Brambilla, Abigail Drees and Alec Jackson, Kaitlyn and Andrew Huizer. Jim also is survived by his sister-in-law Carol Drees, brother and sister-in-law Dean and Ruth Drees, many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Patricia (Ramsey) Drees
September 26, 1934 - November 30, 2016

Doris Christensen (majorette), Arlene Mohns, Elaine Willenborg, Kathleen Ploog, Patricia Ramsey.
Arlene made her uniform and Helen Ploog made her daughter, Kathleen's uniform.
Probably 1952 marching band during the Homecoming parade.


Jim, Gail (Hoffmann), Jeff & Nate Drees


Jay Drees MHS 1977

1976 Seventh grade basketball team - undefeated

Back: Rick Musfeldt, Steve Fogleman, Bruce Monson, Dana Schroeder, Nick Drees (1962-2011), Jim Hinners, Gaylan Schroeder
Front: Brad Sebring - manager, Ken Schulte, Dale Nelson, Scott Hodne, Dan Clipperton, Martin Mullen, Alan Mundt
Coach Ross Norman


Mayburn C. Ramsey 1954 Manning Fire Department (Pat's father)

9th grade

Back: Billy Jensen, Richard Rix, Melvin Sinow, Pete Petersen, Gene Martens, Glen Branning, Dareld Kracht, Louis Puck
Middle: Marlene Jahn, Maxine Sextro, Ruth Sextro, Merlene Thompson, Allen Vennink, Phyllis Zerwas, Shirley Vinke, Norbert Stoberl, Roger Mentzer
Front: Myra Weinbrandt, Barbara Knaack, Shirley Sextro, Patty Ramsey, Nadine Walters, Margene Drees, Shirley Watson, Mary Foley

1977-78 Freshmen football team
Back: Jim Hinners, Steve Fogleman, Bruce Monson, Gary Reischl
Front: Pat Mohr, Nick Drees, Dennis Croghan, Dave Genzen

1976 Seventh grade basketball team - undefeated

Back: Rick Musfeldt, Steve Fogleman, Bruce Monson, Dana Schroeder, Nick Drees, Jim Hinners, Gaylan Schroeder
Front: Brad Sebring - manager, Ken Schulte, Dale Nelson, Scott Hodne, Dan Clipperton, Martin Mullen, Alan Mundt
Coach Ross Norman

Stage crew spring 1980

Back: Pat Lutwitze, Patty Handlos, Jeff Hagedorn, Tracy Hansen
Front: Karen Vollstedt, Jane Miller, Lynna Andresen, Deanne Joens, Keith Wanninger, Nick Drees
Play - Prisoner of Second Avenue directed by Steve Hanley
cast members: Toni Dammann, Sara Bunz, Barb Myer, Denise Clausen, Dave Ramsey and Brad Jones

Maureen Drees Physics 8th hour
From the 2009 Manning Schools history book

Back: Meredith Meyer, Amanda Halbur, Paige Hinners, Andy Drier, Robbie Rohe
Front: Mrs. Maureen Drees, Amy Borkowski, Alyssa Dammann, Nina Marega, Megan Croghan, Carrie Eischeid, Noah Tank, Cruise Davis
Missing: Courtney Bell, Melissa Irlbeck, Miranda Irlmeier Maureen Drees graduated from South Tama County High School and Iowa State University. She received her reading endorsement from Buena Vista University and has done graduate work at all of the state universities and Drake.
Maureen began teaching at Manning Community School in the fall of 1986, the first year that Wayne Curlile was both superintendent and elementary principal. In her twenty-two years of teaching at Manning, she has taught sixth grade, fifth grade, Extended Learning Program (ELP, the gifted and talented program), alternate kindergarten, Title 1 reading, junior high social studies compaction/Future Problem Solving, physics, and chemistry. Mr. Wayne Curlile, Mrs. Barb Kruthoff, Mr. Sam Graeve, and Mrs. Sharon Whitson have been her elementary principals. Mr. Don Ringgenberg and Mr. Brian Wall have been her secondary principals.
Maureen has especially enjoyed the yearlong thematic units that the third-sixth ELP students and she study each year: the brain, the United Kingdom, the Medieval Era, the Decade of the 1940s, and the final projects that the students produce at the culmination of their year of study.
Fifth Grade ELP (Extended Learning Program, Manning's gifted & talented) Class


Gail Hoffmann MHS 1978


Gail (Hoffmann) Drees, Mary Schiermann, Harold "Dutch" Hoffmann, Dean Hoffmann, Nate & Jeff Drees
Jim Drees in front

September 11, 1972 MHS vs Glidden

Pass to Jeff Drees #83
Scans from Wayne Saunders negative collection
December 4, 1972 MHS vs Manilla (at Manilla)

Jeff Drees #33 with ball - John Opperman #43


Jay Drees, Sherrie Bruhn MHS 1977


Jimmie & Nate Drees December 1986

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