Harlan H. Cress, 86, Humboldt, died Thursday, Oct. 28, 2010, at the Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute.

Harlan was born Feb. 20, 1924, on the family farm west of Humboldt, the son of Johnnie Ahiga and Della Mae Baker Cress. He attended DeWitt Rural School and graduated from Humboldt High School in 1942.

On Sept. 1, 1945, Harlan married Nieta L. Butler in Iola. They made their home and farmed west of Humboldt. In 1984, they moved into Humboldt. He worked as a janitor and groundskeeper for Monarch Cement Company for almost 20 years before he retired.

They enjoyed spending the winters for eight years in Weslaco, Texas. Harlan also enjoyed woodworking and his specialty was Model A vehicles and other projects that are distributed around the country.

He was a member of the Humboldt United Methodist Church.

Survivors are his wife of 65 years, Nieta Cress, of the home; three children, Don Cress and wife, Carol, Humboldt, Carol Bauer and husband, Chris, Humboldt, and Dan Cress and wife, Joan, Oak Creek, Wis.; nine grandchildren, Kevin Cress, Iola, Mary Ann Cunningham, Humboldt, Max Cress, Pittsburg, Scott Cress, Humboldt, Matthew Bauer, of Troy, Ill., Mark Bauer, Wichita, Michael Bauer, Rockwall, Texas, Matthew Kozlowski, Milwaukee, Wis., and Sarah Torgersen of South Milwaukee, Wis.; and eight great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, William Ross, Johnnie Allen and Millard B. Cress, and by three sisters, Audrey Stinson, Ruby Havlovitz and Nelle Wyman.

Funeral is 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3 at the Humboldt United Methodist Church. Burial will be in DeWitt Cemetery, west of Humboldt, Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Humboldt United Methodist Church.

Memorials are suggested to Humboldt United Methodist Church and may be left with Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel of Iola.