TEPESCH, Francis "Bill" --- 1929-2010

BRADY, TEPESCH, BUNTROCK, SWANSON, FERRELL, HUINKER, WEPLER, LAWLOR, DOHNALEK, LAWSON, KIRKPATRICK, WILTGEN

Posted By: IaGenWeb Volunteer
Date: 1/2/2011 at 13:24:48

Francis "Bill" Tepesch

Francis W. “Bill” Tepesch, 81, of Waukon died Monday, November 29, 2010 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Funeral services were held Thursday, December 2 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, with Fr. Joseph Schneider officiating. Burial with military rites was at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the family to be dispersed at the family’s discretion.
Francis William “Bill” Tepesch was born April 1, 1929 in Waukon, the son of Frederick and Celia (Brady) Tepesch. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Patrick Catholic Church and graduated from St. Patrick High School. At the age of 14 and while still in school, he began working for the local railroad.
Following school, he served in the Army and Army Air Force as a Corporal during the Korean Conflict. He saw duty with the 529th Signal Corps in Japan, Guam, and the Philippines. After his discharge he worked for Freuhoff Trailer in Cedar Rapids for several years before returning home to northeast Iowa.
August 27, 1966 Bill married Jane Carol Buntrock at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon. He began a career as a carpenter in both residential home and commercial construction. Dormitories and the library at Luther College in Decorah, Winneshiek County Memorial Hospital, and the former St. Patrick Convent in Waukon were just some of the area building projects he was part of. Bill also worked for Waukon and Decorah Tire Centers for many years; and until his retirement in 1991, he worked as a custodian at the Allamakee County Courthouse in Waukon.
Bill was a member of the American Legion. He enjoyed listening to his favorite music and watching John Wayne and western movies. Popcorn, ice cream cones, date-filled cookies, and candy bars were his favorite treats. Bill maintained an interest in trains, did some woodworking, and loved to spend special times with his grandchildren. He enjoyed taking scenic drives around this part of Iowa that he called “God’s Country”, and was proud of his country, its flag, and the time he spent in the military.

Survivors include his wife, Jane Tepesch of Waukon; three daughters, Dawn (Randy) Swanson of Rock Island, IL, Tracey (fiance Jeffrey Bartz) Tepesch of Green Bay, WI, and Tricia (John) Ferrell of Hampton, IL; three grandchildren, Emilee and Evan Swanson and August Ferrell; three sisters, Stella “Sis” Huinker of Monona, Patricia Wepler of Waterloo, and Bernadette Lawlor of Northfield, MN; and a brother, Thomas Tepesch of Independence, MO.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Carl Tepesch; and five sisters, Katherine “Snookie” Dohnalek, Janet “Bub” Lawson, Agnes “Babe” Kirkpatrick, Dorothy Wiltgen, and Sally Tepesch.
Honorary casketbearers were Thomas, Nick and Brady Tepesch. Casketbearers were Randy Swanson, John Ferrell, Jeffrey Bartz, Glenn Wiltgen, Dwight Lawson and Tom Tepesch, Jr.

Waukon Standard, December 8, 2010

Allamakee Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen