Wilwerding, Joseph John (1920 – 2008)

WILWERDING, BIRD, COENEN, STESSMAN, STRAUEL, BLUM

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 9/19/2013 at 19:48:50

Name of deceased: Joseph John Wilwerding

Aged: 87 yrs, 7 mo, 20 days

Residence: Earling, IA

Born: Nov. 12, 1920 in Earling, IA

Died: July 2, 2008, Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, IA

Funeral services: Mass of Christian Burial: Saturday, July 5, 2008, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Earling, IA; Rev. Tom Coenen officiated. Burial at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Earling, IA.

Survived by: Children, Jane (spouse, Phil) Bird of Overland Park, KS, Gary Wilwerding (spouse, Laurie) of Omaha, NE, and Jody Wilwerding (spouse, Denise), also of Omaha, NE; 8 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; sisters, Verena (spouse, Kenny) Coenen of Harlan, IA, and Alice (spouse, John) Stessman of Omaha, NE; brothers, Jerold Wilwerding of CA and Ray Wilwerding (spouse, Mary) of Earling, IA; nieces and nephews; other family members and friends

Predeceased by: Parents, John and Clara (nee Strauel) Wilwerding; wife of 60 years, Mary Ann (deceased March 10, 2005)

Education: attended school at St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Earling, IA

Religious affiliation: baptized and confirmed at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earling, IA

Military service: no information provided

Marriage: Mary Ann Blum; June 12, 1944; location not provided

Employment: worked as a car dealer, an auto body mechanic, and an investor

Hobbies/Interests: Joseph could often be found dancing to big band music with his wife and friends. They would travel to Texas for the winters and entertain family and friends while home. He was a visionary with strong leadership skills and served as mayor of Earling, IA for 12 years. He was a great story teller and liked to joke and many heard his favorite expression "isn’t that the berries".

Sources: ancestry.com, pauleyjones.com