Kirschman, Wil

KIRSCHMAN, PELTZ, SCHUMAN

Posted By: volunteer (email)
Date: 7/21/2005 at 17:16:26

Funeral services for Wil Kirschman, 61, of Pella were held December 6 at the Second Reformed Church in Pella, the Revs. Steve and Sophie Mathonnet-Vander Well, officiated and Bonnie J. Kirschman-Goggins, Brenda S. Kirschman and Marvin Kirschman, remembering. Music was provided by Mrs. Brenda Boeyink, organist and Miss Brenna Blair, trumpeter, with recorded selections sung by Wil and Brenda Kirschman. Ushers were Fred Anthony, Dave Bensink, Mike Vint and Rod Wiersema.

Interment was at the Oakwood Cemetery in Pella. Casket bearers were Quinten Christman, Guy Blair, Darrell Dobernecker, C.L. Leydens, Ken Lucas and Jerry Van Dalen.

Wilmer Kirschman was the tenth of eleven children that were born to Louie and Frieda (Peltz) Kirschman. Wilmer, known to everyone as Wil, was born in a farmhouse near Elgin, North Dakota on August 24, 1941.

He attended grade school in Scottsbluff, Nebraska and graduated from the Scottsbluff High School. During high school, Wil was the lead actor in all musicals and plays, sang in the choir and was a member of art clubs. Wil attended the Scottsbluff Junior College and then enrolled at Nebraska Wesleyan College in Lincoln, Nebraska.

While attending Scottsbluff Junior College he met Peggy Lou Schuman. On August 5, 1962, Wil and Peggy were united in marriage at the Gering Methodist Church in Gering, Nebraska. Wil completed his undergraduate degree at Nebraska Wesleyan in 1964 where he studied music, art, drama and English. Following his graduation, Wil accepted a teaching position at Pella Community High School in Pella, Iowa. He and Peggy moved to Pella along with their first daughter, Bonnie Jean, who was born on September 4, 1963. Then on October 15, 1967 their second daughter, Brenda Sue was born. Wil continued as the English, British literature, speech and drama teacher at Pella High School for 35 years. During that time, Wil completed his master's degree and received his M.A. in speech and dramatics from the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

Wil was a faithful member of the Second Reformed Church in Pella where he sang in the choir and served as a Deacon. He was a member of the Alpha Psi Omega and the Iowa Speech Association. In addition to his teaching career, Wil assisted the Pella community in other ways. He was a member of the Pella Historical Society and for 15 years served as Pella's Sinterklaas. He most recently became involved with "Dollars for Scholars."

He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Peggy L.; their two daughters: Bonnie J. Kirschman and her husband Ben Goggins of Green Bay, Wis. and Brenda S. Kirschman of West Des Moines; and two grandchildren. Of his original family, Wil leaves two sisters: Adella Christman of Lemmon, S.D. and Luella Penner and her husband, Don of Longmont, Col.; and three brothers: Elmer Kirschman and his wife, Mildred of Sun City West, Ariz.; Marvin Kirschman of Tampa, Florida; his younger brother, James Kirschman of El Dorado Hill, Calif.; and a sister-in-law, Mary (Clarence) Kirschman of Redding, Calif.

He was preceded in death by his parents: Louie and Frieda Kirschman; one sister, Irene Kisser; and four brothers: David who died at the age of three years; a three day old baby brother, Willard; Clarence Kirschman and Egon Kirschman.

Arrangements were handled by Van Dyk-Duven Funeral Home in Pella.

Memorials may be give to "Dollars for Scholars" to be designated for a Wil Kirschman Scholarship or the Second Reformed Church of Pella.

The Pella Chronicle, December 13, 2002