Cecille E. Wax, 94, of Shenandoah died January 22, 2011 at Red Oak Rehabilitation Center. Cecille Elmer Wax, the son of Henry and Nora (Wooden) Wax, was born September 2, 1916 in rural Imogene, Iowa. Cecille graduated from Coburg High School in 1934. During World War II, Cecille served three years in the U.S. Army with the 818th Tank Destroyer Battalion in Europe and was awarded the Bronze Star and other citations for his service. He was honorably discharged from the Army in 1945. On December 20, 1945, he was united in marriage to Hazel Margaret Nicholas in Hiawatha, Kansas. The couple farmed in the Emerson, Iowa area until the 1970s, then moved to Emerson. He worked for the Iowa Highway Commission and later for the Shenandoah City Water Department, retiring from full-time work in the 1980s. He continued to work part-time for Emerson Farm Supply until finally retiring at age 80 to spend more time with his wife and to raise tomatoes, potatoes, and rhubarb. He was active in his church and American Legion posts in Emerson and Shenandoah. For more than 30 years, he and Hazel enjoyed attending annual summer reunions of the 818th Tank Destroyers, a group of 600 men and officers who participated in five major World War II battles, including the Battle of the Bulge.
Cecille was preceded in death by Hazel, who died in 2002 after more than 56 years of marriage; his parents; 3 brothers, Arthur, Glen, and Ora; and four sisters, Myrtle, Cara, Hazel, and Lucille. He is survived by a son, Bill Wax, and wife Denise of Omaha, NE; and a daughter, Marilyn Jensen and husband David of Farnhamville, IA; 7 grandchildren, Vallory Darting and husband Daniel, of Littleton, CO; Tami Canaday and husband Ryan of Denver, CO; Chelsea Wax of Omaha; John Honeyman and wife Melissa of Gilmore City, IA; Leah Rosado and husband Luis of Pomeroy, IA, Rachel Honeyman of Ames, IA, and Christopher Jensen of Cedar Falls, IA; 5 great-grandchildren; Christian and Grace Rosado, Theoden and Willow Honeyman, and Selah Canaday; sisters-in-law Verilee Nicholas of Essex, IA, and Mary Wax of Wayne, NE; aunt Madalene Perkins of Tabor IA; and many other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 29, 2011 at the United Methodist Church in Shenandoah, Iowa. Burial will be in the Rose Hill Cemetery at Shenandoah. Visitation with the family will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, January 28, 2011 at the Nelson-Boylan-LeRette Funeral Chapel in Red Oak, Iowa.
Memorials are suggested to the Shenandoah United Methodist Church.
Nelson-Boylan-LeRette Funeral Chapel, Red Oak, Iowa, is in charge of arrangements.
