VERHELST, William Henry Jr. 1927 - 2014

VERHELST, JANSSEN, BACKER, HARRIS, RASMUSSON, HITZEMANN, WHIPPLE, DIGGINS, LUBBERT

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 1/11/2018 at 12:22:20

William H. VerHelst Jr., 86, of Mason City died Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014, at his home.

A funeral service will be held 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2014, at Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 Third St. N.E., Mason City, with Ephiphany Parish clergy officiating. Inurnment will be in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery, Mason City, where full military honors will be conducted by Mason City Veterans. The family will greet friends one hour prior to services at the funeral chapel, Tuesday.

William Henry VerHelst Jr. was born Oct. 29, 1927, at Mason City, a son of William H. and Clara (Janssen) VerHelst. He married Leona C. Andersen on November 8, 1947, at Mason City.

Bill attended St. Joseph Catholic Schools and was a graduate of St. Joseph Catholic High School. He served in the U.S. Navy.

For a short time he worked as a Mason City firefighter. Later, he worked at Goodyear, and for many years he was a truck mechanic at Allied Mills in Mason City. Following his retirement, Bill and Leona delivered motor homes for Winnebago Industries for several years.

Bill was an avid hunter and gardener. He enjoyed trap shooting and raising and training Labrador retrievers. He held memberships in North Iowa Retriever Dog Club, VFW Post No. 733, Mason City, and Epiphany Parish-St. Joseph Catholic Church, Mason City.

Bill is survived by his four daughters and their families: Clarene (Roger) Backer, Greene, their sons, Benjamin (Jenny) Backer, Joseph (Jami) Backer; Nancy (Dennis) Harris, Mason City, their children, Daniel Harris, Kathleen (Tony) Corsello, and Scott (Tami) Harris; Mary Rasmusson, son, Scott Hitzemann; Christine (David) Whipple, and their son Andrew (Christina) Whipple; daughter in-law, Susie Diggins, and her daughter Jennifer; 21 great-grandchildren; 5 great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Doris (Larry) Lubbert, Decorah; sisters in-law, Marian Andersen and Muriel VerHelst.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Leona; son, William H. VerHelst, III; two grandchildren, Jason Thomas Whipple and April VerHelst; brothers James and Roger VerHelst; and a sister, Joyce Walborn.