Wilmar Vorwerk
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New Ulm - Wilmar Vorwerk, 94, of New Ulm, died Thursday, July 30, 2009 at the Oak Hills Living Center in New Ulm.
Funeral service will be 10:00 a.m. Monday, August 3 at Faith Lutheran Church in New Ulm with Pastor Bruce J. Naumann officiating. Burial with full military honors conducted by the New Ulm Area Comrades of Valor Honor Guard will follow at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery in New Ulm.
Visitation will be 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Sunday at Schmucker Funeral Service in New Ulm and one hour prior to the service at the church.
Wilmar Frederick Vorwerk, the son of Paul and Dora (Niebuhr) Vorwerk, was born November 13, 1914 in Gibbon. He moved with his family to New Ulm in 1928 where he attended public schools. After graduating from New Ulm High School, Wilmar worked at the former Joe's Grocery and for Herb Siebenbrunner's grocery business. He was united in marriage to Eunice Boom September 14, 1940 at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in New Ulm. He entered the United States Army December 28, 1943, serving in Northern France, Rhineland and Central Europe during World War II. He served in Patton's 7th Army which was part of the Battle of the Bulge. After being wounded in battle, for which he received a Purple Heart, he was hospitalized in France and England. Wilmar worked as a military translator in Bonn, Germany during the reconstruction of the German government. After his honorable discharge January 4, 1946, he returned to New Ulm where he worked for Retzlaff Hardware. He later became the Brown County Deputy Treasurer, retiring April 1, 1981. Wilmar was a member of Faith Lutheran Church; Disabled American Veterans; member of the Greenhouse Band; Brown County Poultry and Pigeon Association; American Bantam Association and the Wyandotte Bantam Club of America. A lifelong poultry fancier, he bred and raised poultry for show. He was nationally recognized for development of the Vorwerk Bantam.
Survivors include his wife Eunice of New Ulm; sons, Bruce Vorwerk and his wife Vicki, John Vorwerk and his wife Phyllis, all of New Ulm, Phil Vorwerk and his wife Chris of Courtland; 12 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law, George Boom and his wife Faye of Brandon, SD; sister-in-law, Donis Rudsdil and her husband Charlie of Shakopee; and many nieces, nephews and other relatives.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, William Vorwerk; his great-granddaughter, Grace in 2004; brothers, Eugene and Paul Vorwerk; and sister, Leona Cordes.