Judge Warren Rees 1908-1988

REES, DAVIS, LYMAN, ACCORD, EINCK, ZIESER, MAY

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 1/20/2025 at 07:06:33

Memorial services for Judge Warren Rees, 80, Anamosa, former district judge and supreme court justice, will be held at the Goettsch Funeral Home, Anamosa, (Nov. 23) with the Rev. Kathryn Bissen officiating. Burial is in Riverside cemetery.

Judge Reese died at the Anamosa Community hospital Nov. 20.

Born at Anamosa Aug. 2, 1908, he married Alma Davis at Osceola Aug. 20, 1938. He attended Grinnell college and passed his bar examination in 1934. He was the last Iowa Supreme court justice who did not attend law school. He became a member of the bar through private study and passing the bar examination.

He served for several years as a Jones county clerk of court. He entered law practice in 1934 and was appointed judge of the 18th district, which then included Cedar county, in 1963. He served as district judge until he was appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court in 1969. He served on the supreme court until he retired in 1981. After that he was a senior judge, helping with the caseload in Iowa courts.

He was a member of the United Methodist church, Anamosa Lodge No. 46, AF&AM, serving as past master; El Kahir Shrine, serving as past potentate and Order of the Eastern Star, serving as past patron.

He is survived by his wife, a daughter, Mary Ann Lyman, Amherst, Mass.; 2 brothers, Don, Robins and Gary, Ames; 4 sisters, Ruth Ann Accord, Marion; May Alice Einck, Bettendorf; Martha Zieser, Manchester and Lois May, Greenfield and 3 grandchildren.

23 November 1988 - The Tipton Conservative page 9