Wilbur J. Mock

Carroll Daily Times Herald Carroll, November 3, 1944
S/Sgt Wilbur Mock Earns Awards Overseas
Mrs. Wilbur J. Mock has received a letter from her husband, Staff Sergeant Wilbur J. Mock, who is with the Army Air Force 8th Fighter Command in England, stating that he has been awarded the Legion of Merit medal and three bronze stars. Mrs. Mock and son are making their home with her mother, D. Bonita (Mrs. Henry W.) Hagedorn.

Carroll Daily Times Herald Carroll, January 6, 1944
Private First Class Wilbur J. Mock completed a ten-day furlough, spent with his wife and son at the home of Bonita (Mrs. Henry W.) Hagedorn.
Mock, who is in the Army Air Corps, came from Buffalo, New York. He has been transferred to Fresno, California.

Manning Monitor article------ 1944

Mechanic Awarded Medal
An Eighth Air Force Fighter station, England. Staff Sgt. Wilber J. Mock, whose wife, Mrs. Patricia L. Mock, lives at 603 Ann St., Manning, has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal for keeping the P-38 Lightning plane entrusted to his care in the air and flying for 189 hours without a turn-back because of engine trouble.

Staff Sgt. Mock, an aircraft mechanic in a fighter squadron on this Eighth Air Force Fighter Station, has been responsible for the care and maintenance of the P-38 Lightning piloted by 1st Lt. Martin G. Gorian of Minneapolis, Minn.
It is considered a good record if a crew chief or aircraft mechanic keeps and maintains an airplane in the air without an abortion for 180 hours.

Wilbur Junior Mock Wilbur Junior Mock, 69, Turin, Iowa, died Thursday, December 10, 1992, at the Methodist Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, following a long illness of Leukemia.

He was born October 8, 1923, at Onawa, Iowa, the son of Wilbur E. and Bernice (Shook) Mock. He was an Air Force Veteran of World War II, having served in the European Theatre, reaching the rank of Staff Sergeant. Following the service he owned the Soo Tavern in Onawa for several years. In 1963, he moved to Turin where he was a dairy farmer. He married Dona Ristau on August 28, 1977, at Scribner, Nebraska.

He was a member of the Monona County VFW and the David McNeill American Legion Post #129 of Onawa.

He is survived by his wife, Dona, of Turin, four sons, Steve and his family of Houston, Texas; Greg and his wife, Casey, and family in Thailand; Larry and, his wife, Sheryl, and family of Spencer, Iowa; and Randy of Sioux City, Iowa; one daughter, Kathy and her husband, Mel Finken, and family of Sioux City; two step-sons; Gary and Cece Ristau and family of Fremont, Nebraska; and Larry and Deb Ristau and family of Scribner, Nebraska; one step-daughter, Terri and Steve VonFeldt and family of Victoria, Kansas; seventeen grandchildren, and nine step-grandchildren, three brothers and their wives, Earl "Curly" and Janette of Forsyth, Missouri; Lyle and Mae of Whiting, Iowa; and Mel and Janice of Peru, Indiana.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two infant sisters.

Memorial Services were held at 2:00 P.M. Tuesday, December 15, 1992, at Faith Lutheran Church, Onawa, Iowa, with Rev. Steven C. Hetzel officiating. The organist was Mrs. Syril Brown and the soloist, Mrs. Fred Gibson, sang, "Because He Lives" and "The Old Rugged Cross."

Honorary Bearers were Harold Jackson, Mel Finken, Dwight Wingert, Elwood Nagel, LeRoy Vaughn, Francis Reed, Lowell Dinwiddie, Wayne Parks, and Ken Hansen.

Interment was in Onawa Cemetery, Onawa, Iowa, with Military Rites by Monona County VFW Post #2694.

Arrangements were by Pearson Funeral Home, Onawa.
Onawa Sentinel, December 24, 1992

Wilbur J. Mock
Wilbur Junior Mock, 69, of Turin, Iowa, died Thursday, December 10, 1992, at a Rochester, Minnesota, hospital after a long bout with leukemia.

Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at Faith Lutheran Church, Onawa, Iowa, with the Rev. Steven C. Hetzel officiating. Burial will be in the Onawa City Cemetery.

Visitation with family present will be 5-8 p.m. Monday at the Pearson Funeral Home in Onawa.

Mr. Mock was born October 8, 1923, at Onawa, son of Wilbur E. and Bernice (Shook) Mock. He was an Air Force veteran of World War II, having reached the rank of Staff Sergeant while serving in the European Theater. He then owned the Soo Tavern in Onawa for several years. He had a dairy farm in Turin after moving there in 1963. He married Dona Ristau August 28, 1977, at Scribner, Nebraska.

He was a member of the Monona County Veterans of Foreign Wars and the David McNeil American Legion Post 129 of Onawa.

Survivors include his wife; four sons, Steve and his family in Houston, Texas; Greg and his wife Casey in Thailand; Larry and his wife Sheryl of Spencer, Iowa; and Randy of Sioux City; a daughter, Kathy and her husband Mel Finken of Sioux City; two step-sons, Gary and his wife Cece Ristau of Fremont, Nebraska; and Larry and his wife Deb Ristau of Scribner; a step-daughter, Terri and her husband Steve VonFeldt of Victoria, Kansas; 17 grandchildren and nine step-grandchildren; three brothers and their wives, Earl "Curly" and Janette of Forsyth, Missouri; Lyle and Mae of Whiting, Iowa; and Mel and Janice of Peru, Indiana.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two infant sisters.