Longtime Ireland Dairy Farmer and Community Leader Wif Gress Dies at 95

Wilfred L. "Wif" Gress, 95, a lifelong dairy farmer and fixture of Ireland community life, died at 10:11 a.m. on Jan. 21, 2026, at Deaconess Memorial Hospital in Jasper. His passing marks the loss of a multigenerational link between Dubois County’s agricultural roots and its volunteer civic institutions.

Gress was born Jan. 13, 1931, in Ireland, Indiana, to Anton and Margaret (Lampert) Gress. He graduated from Ireland High School in 1949, where he was the point guard on the basketball team, and married Helen C. Begle on May 10, 1952, at St. Henry Catholic Church; she preceded him in death on Jan. 3, 2017. For decades he worked the family dairy farm in Ireland and, after retiring from full-time farming, took a part-time position with the Dubois County Highway Department.

His civic resume links many of the county’s civic pillars. Gress served on the council of St. Mary Catholic Church in Ireland and taught religion classes there. He rose to leadership in several service organizations, including serving as Grand Knight of the Ireland Knights of Columbus, as past president of the Ireland Lions Club, and as past president of the Dubois County 4-H Council. He also belonged to the Ireland Sportsman’s Club, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Ireland Historical Society, and the Dubois County German Club.

Those roles reflect a pattern common in rural civic life: sustained volunteer leadership by local businesspeople and farmers that keeps youth programs, church functions, and service clubs operating. Gress’s tenure with the Dubois County 4-H Council had particular local significance. 4-H provides hands-on agricultural education and leadership training to county youth, and long-serving volunteers such as Gress help maintain the institutional memory and mentor networks that draw new generations into farming and civic engagement.

Gress was known in the community for pursuits that fit the local culture: raccoon hunting, league bowling, card games with friends, and weather forecasting at the kitchen table. He is survived by one daughter, Cindy Vogt (Mike) of Jasper; six sons, Steve Gress (Becky) of Indianapolis, Terry Gress (Susan) of Ireland, Mike Gress (Debbie) of Ireland, Ken Gress (Jami) of Jasper, Dave Gress (Marilyn) of Princeton, and Dan Gress (Molly) of Evansville; 24 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mitz Lanham of Plainfield and Diane Buechlein (Gene) of Fishers; and one sister-in-law, Judy Gress of Jasper.

For Dubois County residents, Gress’s death is a moment to reckon with succession in volunteer leadership. Service clubs and youth programs often rely on a handful of active leaders to organize events, maintain facilities, and mentor newcomers. As local organizations plan leadership transitions, maintaining continuity for 4-H programs, church ministries, and civic projects will be essential to preserving opportunities for youth and sustaining the informal social infrastructure that ties Ireland and neighboring towns together.

Those who knew Gress by his work on the farm, in club meetings, or on the basketball court will find his influence in the ongoing rhythms of county life. The coming weeks will show how Ireland’s service organizations adjust and who steps forward to carry on the volunteer traditions he helped sustain.