Lloyd Reiss was born to Mary (Genau) and Gustave Reiss on December 22, 1924 in Crete, NE. He passed away at home on Thursday evening, February 25th, 2016.
As a young lad, he spent a lot of the time on the Blue River with his brother Francis, and a neighbor and her daughter fishing. As he got older he swam in the river. He attended lower elementary classes in the North Ward school and then CHS. In December 1941, the family drove to California in their Model T with little sister Janice sitting on her mom's lap and Lloyd and Francis in the back seat with clothes, etc between them. They arrived in San Diego on December 6, 1941. As soon as they secured housing, the kids went to school half-time and worked in aircraft plants. In May of 1943 Lloyd was drafted into the Army-Air Force. After his training, he was sent to the Mediterranean Theater, stationed in Sardinia and Corsica. He flew 35 flights as a tail gunner into Northern Italy, Germany, Yugoslavia and Southern France. He was a member of the 319th Air Wing. The Group was sent back to the States before the end of the war. The Army-Air Force split to just Army and Air Force. He was discharged and joined the regular Army. Lloyd spent four years in Antigua and was discharged upon his return. He joined the Nebraska National Guard until his retirement in 1968.

Lloyd and Mary Ann Fridrich were united in marriage at the Methodist parsonage in Crete on April 21, 1951. To this union were born sons Ernie and Dave and daughter Ann.

Lloyd and Mary Ann enjoyed attending the 319th Bomb Group reunions in Grand Forks, Dayton, Tucson, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Denver, Savannah and San Antonio.

When daughter Ann was a sophomore, she got us started hosting exchange students. The family hosted 7 students from Germany, Finland, Chile, Japan and Argentina.

Lloyd and Mary Ann enjoyed many overseas trips-three to visit former students in Finland, Chile and Japan. They also went to Israel and the Czech Republic and returned to Antigua.

Lloyd was employed at the time of his retirement by the City of Crete as a Power Plant Operator.

Survivors include his wife of 65 years Mary Ann, sons Ernie Reiss (Jan) of Beatrice, Dave (Anita) of Crete, and daughter Ann (Randy) Allen of Crete. Grandchildren Heather (Dana) Roy, Hollie (Ed) Klimek, Abby (Joey) Christensen, Charles and Dean (Mikayla) Reiss, Aaron (Dilon) Dixon, Dale (Kate) Potter, Emily (Nathan) Potter, great-grandchildren Tatyana, Talon and Hayden Klimek, Mason Reiss, Angel, Seven and Canyon Dixon, David Potter and Creighton and Landon Roy, brother Francis Reiss of Crete, sister Janice Underwood of Crete, brother-in-law Ken (Marge) Fridrich of Omaha, and many nieces and nephews. Lloyd was preceded in death by his parents.

Burial Saturday February 27, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. at Crete Riverside Cemetery. Memorial Service Monday February 29, 2016 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Crete, NE at 11:00 a.m. Graveside military honors provided by the Crete VFW Post 4959.

Memorials suggested to Lambs of Christ Pre School, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Crete, Nebraska.