Alton Dreyer
August 17, 1924 — December 8, 2011
Alton William Dreyer of Marion passed peacefully from this life on December 8, 2011 at the age of 87, surrounded by his loving family. He was born August 17, 1924 on the family homestead in Marion, Texas, to Willie and Elfrieda Staats Dreyer. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John Lutheran Church in Marion. Alton graduated from Seguin High School, class of 1941, and after a period working in Washington, D.C. for the F.B.I., enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He served his country as a radio operator and gunner on a B-17, part of the 8th Air Force, 351st Bomb Group, and 511th Squadron, based in Bovingdon, England. During a mission to destroy a V-2 rocket launch site, Altons plane was shot down, and after bailing out of the burning aircraft, he was captured east of Berlin on September 12, 1944. Following hospitalization, he became a Prisoner of War in Kiefheide, Germany at Stalag Luft #4, and finally liberated April 18, 1945. For his service, Alton was awarded the Victory Medal, Purple Heart, Air Medal, American Theater Ribbon, European-African-Middle Eastern Ribbon with three bronze stars, and one Oversea bar. After marrying Grace Triesch on November 28, 1954, the couple settled in to their life together in Marion. Alton dedicated his life to work on the farm, his family, and many different circles of friends. He played trumpet with Cloverleaf Orchestra for 35 years, and was a longtime member of Frohsinn Singing Club, Hermann Sons New Braunfels Lodge No. 21, and Germania Farmer Verein. Alton was preceded in death by his parents, infant son Sandlin Dale Dreyer, brother Winfred Dreyer, and sister Margaret Dreyer Boecker. He leaves behind his devoted wife of 57 years, Grace Triesch Dreyer, daughters and sons-in-law Gayle and Glenn Stroh of Marion and Susan and Richard Ziperman of Coppell, sister-in-law Leona Dreyer of Marion, and brother-in-law Kenneth Triesch of New Braunfels, and four precious grandchildren, Glenn Stroh and fiance Lauren Murphy, Amanda Stroh, and Emily and Mary Ziperman, as well as numerous other relatives. Visitation will be Wednesday, December 14, 2011 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Schertz Funeral Home, with the family receiving visitors from 6 to 8 p.m. Services will take place at St. John Lutheran Church, Marion, Texas on Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 2 p.m., interment immediately following with Military Honors at Guadalupe Valley Memorial Park. Afterward, there will be a reception at the Jackson Park Activity Center, Texas Lutheran University campus in Seguin. Memorials may be given to St. John Lutheran Church, Marion, Texas or First Protestant Church, New Braunfels, Texas. The family would like to thank the Schertz E.M.S. and the staff of Northeast Methodist Hospital for their exceptional care, as well as the numerous VA medical staff who provided care through the years.
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