Arno Kress, father of MCC President Anne. M. Kress, passed away on Monday, July 23 in Gainesville, FL.
President Kress writes:
“My father was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, attended Notre Dame High School, served in occupied Berlin, and earned a certificate in drafting from Milwaukee Institute of Technology. Later in life, he also became a certified brewmaster.
“An only child, he married into a father-less family with 11 children, including my mom, and immediately and happily became substitute dad and mentor for 10. This seems to have set a pattern, as I cannot recall a time my father wasn’t coaching or mentoring or counseling someone—whether on the field, in the workplace, or in the neighborhood.
“My dad began his professional life as a draftsman at George J. Meyer, Mfg., in Milwaukee, and transitioned into the brewing and packaging engineering fields, working at Schlitz Breweries (where he eventually relocated from Milwaukee to Tampa, Florida, to run plant engineering); Barry-Wehmiller (where he was assigned to regional breweries, including Genesee, and also covered Italy for the company, a country he grew to love); Stroh Brewing (where his tenure in Detroit overlapped perfectly with the Pistons championship era); ending his career as a consulting engineer with Lockwood Greene, based in Atlanta (where he was paid to stay home during the Olympics).
“Having sent both of his daughters to the University of Florida, he was a proud and passionate Gators fan, who happily retired to Gainesville. Over the last week, my dad was hospitalized at Shands, UF’s teaching hospital, and as my mother noted, ‘Nothing would have made your father happier than to know he spent his last days at UF.’
“He will be missed by my mother, Mary Lou Kress; my sister,Eileen Amos and her husband Vance; Ned and myself; his five grandchildren: Gaby, Ty, Reese, Harper and Penn; and a lifetime of friends.”
In lieu of any flowers, donations may be made to the MCC Foundation to provide support for veteran students and their families.
President's Staff
President's Office
07/25/2012 |