Philip F. Weighner

ZWEIFEL, WEIGHNER, COLLINS, KENNEDY, FELLER, SCHELL, MARTIN, SMED, COTA, MARTI, DEVALK, ROY, ANDERSON, WERTZ, RYBARCZYK, DRETZKA

Posted By: Georgia Bruns
Date: 1/3/2004 at 21:03:25

Philip F. Weighner

June 06, 2001

Philip F. Weighner, 76, of Waukon, died Sun., May 27, 2001, at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon.

Philip Frederick Weighner was born Aug. 19, 1924, in Prairie du Chien, WI. His parents were Wilbur and Anna (Zweifel) Weighner.

He attended St. Gabriel Elementary School and graduated from Campion High School in Prairie du Chien in 1942. He attended Milwaukee School of Engineering for two years before enlisting in the U.S. Navy, where he was trained in electronics and saw duty in the South Pacific while stationed in the Philippines, Pearl Harbor, Shanghai, and Saipan.

Philip returned to Prairie du Chien in 1946 and began work as a mechanic and salesperson for Weighner Garage.

On Aug. 30, 1952, he married Catherine "Katie" Collins at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Waukon.

In 1957 and 1958 he worked for Field Enterprises in Minneapolis. Later, in 1958, he moved to Waukon where he was production manager for Impro Products.

Katie died in 1988. On Jan. 25, 1991, Philip married Joan Kennedy Feller at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Waukon.

He continued working for Impro until his retirement in 1993.

Phil was an active member at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, where he served on the School Board, Parish Council, and as a lector. He was a 4th Degree Knight with the St. Matthew's Council of Knights of Columbus. While in Prairie du Chien he was a member of the Lions Club, Jaycees, and served as a Crawford County supervisor. Phil was a member of the VFW, American Legion, and Northeast Iowa Mental Health Board, past president of Makee Manor Board of Directors, active in the Republican Party, a trustee for Mt. Olivet Cemetery, and a founding member of Allamakee County Iowans for Life.

Phil enjoyed playing golf, reading, dancing, finding ways to fix things, and working crossword puzzles. He was an avid sports fan and enjoyed following his children and grandchildren in their activities, as well as the Iowa Hawkeyes and Green Bay Packers. He liked to travel, taking trips to Ireland, Germany, and The Holy Land, where he saw his son Robert ordained to the priesthood. He and Joan also enjoyed several winters together in Texas.

Phil was a devoted family man, spending as much time as possible with them. He will be remembered as a wonderful husband, father, stepfather, and grandfather who was admired and loved by everyone close to him.

Philip was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Katie; and a granddaughter, Katie Rose.

Survivors include his wife, Joan, of Waukon; six daughters, Mary Mike (Bob) Schell of Champaign, IL, Laurie (Dave) Martin and Barb (Rod) Smed, both of Waukon, Brigid (Ron) Cota of Harpers Ferry, Mollie (Monte) Marti of Iowa City, and Cathy (Scot) DeValk of Solon; seven sons, Phil (Cathy) of Grand Rapids, MI, Tom (Angie) of Dorchester, Paul of Lansing, Br. James Weighner, LC, of Thornwood, NY, Fr. Robert Weighner, LC, of Vienna, Austria, Mark (Laurel) of Waukon, and Steve of Harpers Ferry; three stepsons, Joe (Jane) Feller of Sibley, Bill (Peggy) Feller of Charles City, and Tom (Sarah) Feller of Quincy, IL; three stepdaughters, Sue (Gene) Roy of Lafayette, LA, Patty (Ed) Anderson of Alburnett, and Peggy (Terry) Wertz of Williamsburg; 27 grandchildren; 28 step-grandchildren; two step-great-grandchildren; two sisters, Doris Rybarczyk of Prairie du Chien, WI, and Mary Lou Dretzka of Cudahy, WI; and an aunt, Marie Zweifel of Wauzeka, WI.

Funeral services were held Thurs., May 31, at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Waukon, with Fr. Allen Schmitt and the Rev. Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg officiating. Burial with military graveside rites followed in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon. The family was assisted by Martin Funeral Home in Waukon.

Honorary casketbearers were Jim Campbell, Jim Klenske, Bill Howe, Bill Byrnes, and Bob Collins.

Casketbearers were Phil, Tom, Paul, Mark, and Steve Weighner, Br. James Weighner, LC, Fr. Robert Weighner, LC, and Ron Cota.