Wilmer Herbert Wernecke

Wilmer Herbert Wernecke, 91, of Cedar Rapids, died peacefully Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013, at Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids. Services: 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, at Hopkinton Community Church, Hopkinton, by the Rev. Charles E. Glidden. Family will greet friends from 10 a.m. till service time. Burial: Monday, Jan. 21, at St. Paul’s Church Yard, Afton, Mo. Arrangements by Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Cedar Rapids.

Survivors include children, John P. Wernecke of State College, Pa., Lance Wernecke of Cedar Rapids, Eric Wernecke of Cedar Rapids, Joel (Jin Kim) Wernecke of Gaithersburg, Md., and Richard Wernecke of West Chicago, Ill.; grandchildren, David Wernecke and Tracy Wernecke of Chicago, Andrea Neagle (Brendan) of Sneads Ferry, N.C., Nina Shirk (Chadd) of Lynchburg, Va., and Jeffery Wernecke of West Chicago; great-grandson, Gabriel Robert Neagle of Sneads Ferry, N.C.; and sibling, Eunice Anderson of St. Louis, Mo.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Janet; and brother, Francis Wernecke.

Wilmer was born Aug. 22, 1921, in Baileyville, Ill., son of Herbert and Ida Wernecke. On Aug. 19, 1946, he married Janet Glidden in Oak Park, Ill. He lost her in October 2008. He was a pastor with the United Presbyterian Church from 1945-1985, serving churches in Missouri, Illinois, Ohio and Iowa.

In his working years he was devoted to the churches he served. Throughout his life he remained devoted to his family. In the early years of retirement he and Janet traveled extensively. He always maintained a keen interest in history and theology.

Memorials may be made to Hopkinton Community Church in memory of Wilmer.

Please sign the online guest book for Wilmer at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.

Published Jan. 17, 2013 in The Gazette