JAMES D. WILGENBUSCH 1934-2003

PFEILER, WILGENBUSCH, GANSEMER, ROLING, MOORE, SABERS

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 1/8/2004 at 08:34:36

James D. Wilgenbusch

Telegraph Herald - Nov 4, 2003

RICKARDSVILLE, Iowa - Mr. James D. "Jim" Wilgenbusch, 69, of 20976 Route 52 North, Rickardsville, died Saturday, Nov. 1, 2003, as the result of injuries sustained in a farming accident on U.S. 52, north of Rickardsville.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Rickardsville, with burial in the church cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. today at Dennis Kitchen Funeral Home, 3860 Asbury Road, Dubuque, where there will be a wake service at 4 p.m.

Mr. Wilgenbusch farmed his entire life. He was service manager at Richardson Buick Cadillac Honda from 1962 to 1981. He also worked as an appraiser for Auto Damage Appraisers of Iowa from 1981 until his retirement.

He was born on Oct. 28, 1934, in Fillmore, son of Ralph N. and Mabel C. (Pfeiler) Wilgenbusch. He married Betty A. Gansemer on Sept. 18, 1956, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Balltown.

He grew up in Rickardsville, and attended Holy Cross (Iowa) High School. He was an Army veteran.

His hobbies included farming and giving his grandchildren "gator" rides.

He was a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters, where he served as Chief Ranger for Court 774-Rickardsville for 36 years. He also was a member of the Dubuque Cattleman's Association.

He was very active with the Rickardsville Athletic Club, Leo High School Endowment Committee and RHCL Board of Education.

Surviving are his wife, Betty A. Wilgenbusch, of Rickardsville; three daughters, Barb (Jerry) Roling, of Dubuque, Vickie (Brian) Moore, of Windsor, Colo., and Sheila (Dale) Sabers, of Rickardsville; two sons, Dale (Sue) Wilgenbusch, of Rickardsville, and Dean (Amy) Wilgenbusch, of Dubuque; five brothers, Don (Norm) Wilgenbusch, Eldon (Gin) Wilgenbusch, Merl (LaVonne) Wilgenbusch and Mel (Marlene) Wilgenbusch, all of Rickardsville, and Loras (Susan) Wilgenbusch, of Victor; 14 grandchildren, Emily, Nathan, Natalie and Jessalyn Roling, Nolan and Kate Moore, Matt, Anna and Nicholas Wilgenbusch, Jack, Millie and Liz Mabel Wilgenbusch and Hunter and Noah Sabers; his mother, Mabel C. Wilgenbusch, of Rickardsville; and many nieces and nephews and aunts and uncles.

He was preceded in death by his father, Ralph Wilgenbusch, on Dec. 25, 1996.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the RHCL Endowment Fund and St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Rickardsville.

Nov 3, 2003    
Tri-State Briefs
by TH STAFF

Man killed in farm accident identified
RICKARDSVILLE, Iowa - Authorities have identified the 69-year-old Rickardsville man killed in a tractor rollover accident on Saturday. James Dale Wilgenbusch, of 20976 U.S. 52 North, was operating a John Deere 3020 farm tractor at approximately 1:09 p.m. on the property at 21184 when the tractor rolled on top of him, according to the Dubuque County Sheriff's Department. Wilgenbusch was deceased upon the arrival of medical personnel. Authorities are still investigating.