Obituaries Thursday April 25th

Wilbur Darrell Weigert, 85, of West Burlington, passed away at 3:05 AM Tuesday, April 23, 2013 at the Great River Hospice House in West Burlington.

Born February 22, 1928, in West Point, IA, he was the son of Theodore R. Weigert and Margaret C. Helm.

In 1929, the family moved to New London, IA, where Wilbur attended the New London school system and graduated from the New London High School in 1945.

Wilbur married Vivian LaVonne Ryan in 1949 in Mt. Pleasant, IA.  They had three children and later divorced.  Wilbur raised his two daughters and son as a single parent.

In 1983, he married Mary K. Shultze in Burlington, whom he met while employed at Champion Spark Plug.

Wilbur held a number of important skilled jobs.  From 1946 through 1947 he was employed at the West Burlington Railroad Shops.  From 1947 to 1954 he worked at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant – Atomic Energy Commission as a laborer, bricklayer, and production operator.

At the Cargill Seed Company in Mt. Pleasant, IA, from 1954 to 1966, he performed numerous jobs including welding and electrical maintenance.

From 1966 through 1974, Wilbur was again employed at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant – Atomic Energy Commission where he rebuilt synchronous motors and maintained energy power generators.

In 1974 Wilbur worked at Federal Mogul (Champion Spark Plug) as an electrician and proudly trained many apprentice electricians.  Wilbur and his wife, Mary, both retired in 1990 from Federal Mogul.

Wilbur and Mary were avid Bluegrass music and Sprint car race fans.  They often traveled across the U.S. to attend these events.  Wilbur loved to play musical instruments, including the violin, the steel guitar, and electric/acoustic guitars.  He was a member of several bands over the years.

Wilbur was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved son, Randy Weigert of Fairfield, IA, a brother, Stanley Weigert and a nephew, David Weigert, both of West Burlington.  Survivors include his wife, Mary K. Weigert; two daughters, Vicki (Keith) Stone of Little Rock, AR, and Cathy (David) Collins of Scottsdale, AZ; six granddaughters; three great-granddaughters; four great-grandsons; one sister, Bernita (Sammy) Stevenson of Gladstone, IL; one sister-in-law, Margaret Weigert of West Burlington; one niece, and three nephews.

In accordance with Mr. Weigert’s wishes, a private family graveside service will be held in Burge Cemetery in New London.

A memorial has been established for Great River Hospice of West Burlington.

Thielen Funeral Home & Crematory is in care of the arrangements.

Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting Wilbur’s obituary at www.thielenfuneralhome.com.