Bernard J. “Bernie” Gerdes
- Visitation Dates and Times
Wednesday, January 12, 2022 4:00-8:00 p.m.
Thursday, January 13, 2022 12:00-1:30 p.m.
- Visitation Location
St. Cecilia Catholic Church, Bartelso
- Service Date
Thursday, January 13, 2022
- Service Time
2:00 p.m.
- Service Location
St. Cecilia Catholic Church, Bartelso
- Full Obituary
Bernard J. “Bernie” Gerdes, age 85, of Bartelso, passed away Saturday, January 8, 2022 at his home.
He was born November 8, 1936 in Bartelso, a son of the late William “Bill” and Anna, nee Bergmann, Gerdes.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a son Daniel Gerdes; brother Paul “PG” Gerdes; father-in-law and mother-in-law, William “Bill” and Margaret, nee Hemker, Varel; and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Frank “Bud” Kreke, Mary Ann Gerdes, Jerome and Dolores “Toots” Varel, Pete Varel, Bernadette and Gerhard Kluemke, Jim Varel, and Frank Goebel.
Bernie is survived by his wife Marcella “Sally”, nee Varel, Gerdes, of Bartelso, whom he married May 10, 1960 at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Bartelso; children, Donna (Ken) Becker, Tom (Karen) Gerdes, Phyllis (Mark) Gebke, Ron (Donna) Gerdes, Alan (Renee) Gerdes, and Renee (Tim) Moore all of Bartelso; grandchildren, Lauren (Eric) Eversgerd, Aaron Becker, and Jordan (fiancée Kari Wiegmann) Becker, Nathan, Trevor, and Noah Gerdes, Amanda (fiancé Danny Lorenzen) Gebke, April (Logan) Decker, and Blake Gebke, Kelsey and Tanner Gerdes, Clara and Kate Gerdes, Jordon Nowitzke, Brady, Carson, and Alyssa Moore; great-grandchildren, Paisley, Ashlyn, and Easten Eversgerd, and June Decker; siblings, Cele Kreke and Bill Gerdes both of Bartelso; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Dolores Gerdes, Joan Varel, William “Bill” (JoAnn) Varel, Margie (Jim) Wilken, Betty Varel, Flossie (Frank) Schlautman all of Bartelso and Blanche Goebel of Breese; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Bernie was a veteran of the United States Army, was born and raised a farmer, and retired from Illinois Central Gulf Railroad in Centralia. He was a true family man, enjoying time with his wife and children, but above all spending time with his grandchildren and attending all of their sporting events. Bernie enjoyed bowling and rabbit hunting, but mostly loved watching baseball, especially his boys play in the Clinton County League games and following the St. Louis Cardinals.
He was a member of St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Bartelso, former Grand Knight of the Bartelso Knights of Columbus Council 4745, past president of the Mater Dei Fathers and Friends and the Bartelso Community Development Club, and was a former Bartelso Clinton County League Baseball player, where he was inducted into the Clinton County League Baseball Hall of Fame.
Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be Thursday, January 13, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Bartelso with Fr. George Mauck presiding. Interment with full military honors will follow at St. Cecilia Cemetery, Bartelso.
Visitation will be Wednesday, January 12, 2022 from 4:00-8:00 p.m. and again on Thursday, January 13, 2022 from 12:00-1:30 p.m. at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Bartelso.
In lieu of flowers, plants, and other gifts, memorials may be made to St. Cecilia Catholic Church or to the Bartelso Community Development Club and will be received at the church or through Moss Funeral Home, 535 N. 5th, Breese, IL 62230 who is serving the family.
