Jimmy A. Wessels

WESSELS, TEGELER, PETTY, BOCKENSTEDT, ERSCHEN, EVERS, KNEPPER, WILHELM, CARLSON, KRAMERKNEPPER, PFOHL, REICHER, ENGELKEN, KRAPFL, FITZGERALD

Posted By: IAGenWeb Volunteer
Date: 3/25/2007 at 00:21:26

Cedar Rapids Gazette
Dyersville, Iowa
13 June 2003

Jimmy A. Wessels, 83, of Dyersville, died unexpectedly Wednesday, June 11, 2003, at his residence. Friends bay call from 2 to 9 p.m. at Kramer Funeral Home, Dyersville, where a parish Scripture service begins at 5 p.m. and Legion Post 137 services begin at 7 p.m. Services: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, St. Francis Xavier Basilica. Burial: at St. Francis Cemetery, where Legion Post 137 will accord military rites. Officiating will be the Rev. Ed Petty.

Jimmy was born May 29, 1920, in Petersburg, Iowa, the son of Henry J. and Antonette (Tegeler) Wessels. He married Emma Bockenstedt on May 12, 1947.

A retired carpenter and a loving husband, father, grandfather and brother, he will be sadly missed by many.

Jimmy was a member of St. Francis Xavier Parish, life member and past commander of American Legion Post 137, life member of VFW Post 7736, former member and past Chief de Gare of the 40&8 Voliture 632 of Dubuque, member-carpenter of Union Local 678, former member of Eagles Club and past president of Retired Eagles Activity Club of Dubuque. He served his country in World War II, enlisting in the U.S. Army in September 1940. He went overseas in August 1942 and served nearly three years without furlough, in the 804th Tank Destroyer Battalion in the African and European campaigns in Ireland, England, Africa, and Italy. While in Italy, he was fortunate to have had an audience with the Pope. He returned to the United States in May 1945 and was the first serviceman from the Dubuque County area to be discharged on the point system.

Surviving are his wife, Emma; three daughters, Gayle (Dean) Erschen of Zimmerman, Minn., and Gwenn (John) Evers and Gloria Knepper of Dyersville; six grandchildren, Karmen (Steve) Wilhelm of Marion, Kourtney (Brent) Carlson of West Des Moines, Kurt Kramer of Dyersville, Nathan Knepper of Ottumwa, Emily Knepper of Des Moines, and Melanie Knepper of Cedar Falls; four great-grandchildren, Spencer Wilhelm, Emma Carlson, Alec and Reese Knepper; three sisters; Delores Pfohl and Sister Mary David Wessels, both of Dubuque and LuAnn Reicher of Dyersville.

Jimmy was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Iranous, Clarence, Ralph and Don Wessels; and three sisters, Isabelle Engelken, Marcella Krapfl and Gene Fitzgerald.

St. Francis Xavier Parish Cemetery
 

Delaware Obituaries maintained by Constance Diamond.
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