Berens, Hubert R. "Buster" 1918-2002

BERENS, GERSDORF, WELLNER

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 11/7/2011 at 16:38:42

HUBERT R. (BUSTER) BERENS

Hubert R. (Buster) Berens was born June 13, 1918, the son of Mike and Alma (Gersdorf) Berens. He died April 9, 2002 at the Crawford County Memorial Hospital in Denison, Iowa, at the age of eighty-three.

Buster was born on a farm south of Ute, Iowa, and was baptized in Christ as an infant and was confirmed in the Lutheran faith on March 25, 1934, by Rev. E. H. Widmann at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Ute. He attended country school near Ute, where he graduated from the eighth grade. After receiving his education, he helped his father on the family farm and worked as a farm hand for area farmers.

On February 16, 1941, Buster was united in marriage to Helen Wellner at St. John Lutheran Church by Rev. W. Schroeder. The coupled settled on a farm and were blessed with the birth of three sons. Buster continued farming until his retirement in 1979 when the couple moved to town in Charter Oak, where he remained until his death.

Buster was a very loving and caring husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, who enjoyed his family very much. He was an active member of St. John Lutheran Church in Charter Oak, where he served as an elder, as a school board member, and as a trustee. He also was a member of the Parent Teacher League at St. John’s Lutheran School, where he helped with many school projects. He loved farming, fishing and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Mike and Alma; two sisters, AlMarie Berens and Betty Schillerberg. He is survived by his loving wife, Helen; three sons, Dean and his wife, Rebecca of Charter Oak; David and his wife, Diane of Hastings, Nebraska; and Dennis and his wife, Charlyne of Seward, Nebraska; six grandchildren: Leah Berens of Charter Oak and her fiancée, Ryan Kinworthy of Seward, Nebraska; Christian Berens and his wife, Jaime of Tampa, Florida; Sarah Berens St. John and her husband, Cory of Hastings, Nebraska; Laura Berens Hargis and her husband, Todd of Hastings, Nebraska; Rebecca Berens Matzke and her husband, Bill of Lincoln, Nebraska; and Rachel Berens-Van Heest and her husband, Michael of Madison, Wisconsin; three great-grandchildren: Madison and Quentin St. John of Hastings, Nebraska and Katherine Anne Matzke of Lincoln, Nebraska; one sister, Luetta Behrendt and her husband, Fred of Wilmette, Illinois; one brother, Michael and his wife, Norma Berens of Ute, Iowa; nieces and nephews other relatives and many friends.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 13, 2002, at the St. John Lutheran Church in Charter Oak, Iowa. Rev. L. C. Gebbardt officiated the service and graveside service at St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery in Charter Oak. Art Beeck provided the organ accompaniment for congregational hymns, “Abide With Me,” “Jesus Lives! The Victory’s Won,” and “I Know That My Redeemer Lives.”

Honorary pallbearers were Rebecca Berens Matzke, Rachel Berens-Van Heest, Christian Berens, Sarah St. John, Leah Berens and Laura Hargis.

Pallbearers were Blain Schwingdorf, Dale Schillerberg, Ernst Poggensee, Tony Schneider, Steve Langholdt, Dan Kuhlmann, Kevin Remmes and Mark Berens. The family invited everyone in attendance to join them in fellowship and lunch at the church, served by the Ladies Aid. The Huebner Funeral Home in Charter Oak was in charge of arrangements.