Guylas J. Kiss

Guylas J. Kiss, 90, of Mason City, died Sunday, April 15, 2007 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit. A Funeral Mass will be held 10:30 AM Wednesday, April 18, 2007 at Holy Family Catholic Church, 714 N. Adams with Rev. Jon Seda officiating. Interment will be in Elmwood ? St. Joseph?s Cemetery. Visitation will be held Tuesday (April 17, 2007) from 4:30 P.M. to 6:30 P.M. with a Scriptual Wake Service held at 6:30 P.M. at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Memorials may be directed to Holy Family Catholic Church or Newman Catholic Schools. Guylas was born April 12, 1917 to John and Rosa Kiss in Jakobhasa, Hungary. His father died when he was 6 and his mother when he was 12. He remained in the family home under his older sister?s care. At 14, he left his home to complete an apprenticeship in the tailoring trade. He worked 5 years in Hungary and became certified as a ?Master? tailor. He served 2 years in the Hungarian Army and thereafter moved to Austria working his trade until he came to the United States in 1949. The sponsorship of his aunt and uncle, Anna and John Jandrasitz of Mason City allowed him to come to the United States, and he was very grateful to them for the opportunity. He was initially employed by St. Clair-Starks Clothing Store in Mason City and then began his own custom tailoring business in 1963 known as Guylas Tailors. He retired at the age of 70 and continued to work out of his home until the age of 75. He met his wife, Helen, two years after arriving in the United States and they were married on August 16, 1952 at St. John Catholic Church in Bancroft, Iowa. Together they raised four children and celebrated over 54 years of marriage. Guylas has been a member of Holy Family Catholic Church since 1951. He loved gardening and was an active member of the Men?s Garden Club of Mason City until his more senior years. He is survived by his wife Helen; two sons, Ken (Carol) Kiss, Jon (Karen) Kiss; two daughters, Patty Bodine and husband Steve, and Caroline Kiss; six grandchildren, Kimberly, Jennifer, Aaron Kiss, Ross and Caitlin Bodine, and Tom Kiss; numerous nieces and nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Rosa; sisters, Karoline, Rosa, Maria, and Theresa; brother, Joseph; and his aunt and uncle, Anna and John Jandrasitz.

Visitation:
4:30 PM to 6:30 PM at 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue on April 17, 2007 (map/driving directions) 3:00 PM to 3:00 PM at 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue on April 16, 2007 (map/driving directions)

Service:
10:30 AM at 714 North Adams on April 18, 2007 (map/driving directions)