John D. Pappas Jr.

John D. Pappas Jr., 85, of Mason City, died peacefully on Friday, June 15, 2012, at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Tuesday, June 19, 2012, at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave., with Rev. Ron Stein of the First Baptist Church officiating. A visitation will be held from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Monday (June 18, 2012) at the funeral home. Interment will be at Memorial Park Cemetery. The family requests that memorials be given to the John D. Pappas Jr. memorial fund in care of the family. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com John D. Pappas Jr. was born November 11, 1926 in Fort Dodge, Iowa the son of Maude L. (Clifton) and John D. Pappas Sr. He graduated from Fort Dodge High School in 1945 and attended Fort Dodge Jr. College. John entered the US Navy November 2, 1945 and was discharged November 2, 1947. John married Rose M. Karasek August 14, 1949 at the First Baptist Church in Fort Dodge. They resided in St. Louis, MO while John attended St. Louis College of Mortuary Science. He graduated in June of 1950, and worked for the Guenter Funeral Home in Fort Dodge. In September of 1952, he accepted a position as assistant director with Paul D. McCauley and Son Funeral Home in Mason City, Iowa. Upon the death of Mr. McCauley, he became acting director of the firm for many years. During that time he served on the board of Directors of the Iowa State Funeral Directors Association. In September of 1960, John became an insurance agent in Mason City for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. He received many honor club awards and trips with the company. John adored his family and was very proud of his two granddaughters and their little dog Sam. He and Rose enjoyed traveling and took many bus tours, and particularly loved their annual trips to Branson, MO. John was a member of First Baptist Church, Mason City, serving on numerous church boards, Benevolence Masonic Lodge #145 AF & AM, past president of the Rock Falls Senior Citizens Club, and past member of the Iowa Funeral Directors Association. John is survived by his wife, Rose of 61 years of Mason City; son, Michael Pappas and wife Lona of Atlantic, Iowa; 2 granddaughters, Kellyn and Katie of Des Moines, IA. John was preceded in death by his parents and son, Mark.

Cemetery:
Interment will be at Memorial Park Cemetery.

The family requests that memorials be given to the John D. Pappas Jr. memorial fund in care of the family.

Visitation:
A visitation will be held from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Monday (June 18, 2012) at the funeral home.

Service:
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Tuesday, June 19, 2012, at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave., with Rev. Ron Stein of the First Baptist Church officiating.