Wilwerding, Bernard Joseph (1933 - 2018)

WILWERDING, HERZINGER, HOFFMAN, GRAEVE, TEAL, ROE, WALTERS, BLANKENSHIP, LARRISON, SCHEURING, BLOCK, DEMPSEY, LAUX, DEMPSEY, NEHL

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 7/28/2018 at 17:41:54

Name of deceased: Bernard (“Bernie”) Joseph Wilwerding

Aged: 85 yrs, 3 mo, 7 days

Residence: Earling, Shelby County, IA

Born: April 16, 1933

Died: July 23, 2018; Earling, Shelby County, IA

Funeral services: Saturday, July 28, 2018; St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Earling, IA; burial was in St. Joseph's Cemetery,
Earling, IA

Survived by: Wife of 24 years, Mary of Earling, IA; daughters, Ann Herzinger of Omaha, NE, Sheila (spouse, Dan) Hoffman of Omaha, NE, and Laura (spouse, Harvey) Graeve of The Woodlands, TX; sons, Jim (spouse, Gigi) Wilwerding of Des Moines, IA, Paul (spouse, Desiri) Wilwerding of Portsmouth, IA, and Tony (spouse, Jennifer) Wilwerding of Omaha, NE; step-daughters, Anne (spouse, Brian) Teal of Omaha, NE, Angela (spouse, Dewight) Roe of Pleasant Hill, IA, and Andrea (spouse, Rob) Walters of Omaha, NE; step-son, Brad Blankenship of Los Angeles, CA; brother, Howard (spouse, Nancy) Wilwerding of Boca Raton, FL; sister, Janice (nee Wilwerding) Larrison of Defiance, IA; 23 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren

Predeceased by: Parents, Isador and Helen (nee Scheuring) Wilwerding; first wife of 36 years, wife, Alma (deceased 1989); brother, Edward; sisters-in-law, Rita Block, Dee Dempsey, Jean Laux, Grace Wilwerding and Alma Wilwerding; brothers-in-law, Gerald Block, Jack Dempsey, Dick Laux and Larry Larrison; son-in-law, Ron Herzinger; grandchildren, Isaiah, Samuel and Jadyn Wilwerding

Education: attended and graduated from St. Joseph’s Catholic School, Class of 1951

Religious affiliation: Catholic; Bernie and Alma were very active in the Cursillo Movement and Bernie was one of the first Lay Ministers of the Eucharist in the Diocese of Des Moines. In 1970, he was on the original team that brought and led the Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) movement to the Diocese. He was active in the leadership of TEC in the Diocese throughout the 35 years of the program’s history in Southwest Iowa.

Military service: served in the U. S. Army; honorably discharged

Marriages: Alma Nehl; April 20, 1953; location not provided (2) Mary Blankenship; Nov. 24, 1993; location not provided

Employment: After his military service, Bernie and Alma lived briefly in Omaha, NE, where he worked as a welder for Gate City Steel. In 1958, they returned to Earling, IA where he farmed with his father and worked for Bowles Farm Supply. In 1966, he and Cletus “Blondy” Schaben opened B & B Farm Supply. This business provided for the family for 30 years until he retired in 1996.

Hobbies/Interests: Coached baseball teams; was a dedicated Scoutmaster for Troop 142 in Earling, IA; was honored for his service to Scouting by being awarded the St. George Medal, the Manteno District Award of Merit, the Vigil Honor in the Order of the Arrow and the Silver Beaver Award by the Mid-America Council. Enjoyed golf and woodworking.

Sources: kjan.com; knodfm.com; pauleyjones.com