John J. Weimer, of Valparaiso, passed away Feb. 26, 2007. He was 95.
On Nov. 20, 1911 in Benson County N.D., he was the fifth of 13 children born
to Cora (Hineline) and John McClay Weimer.
On May 16, 1937, John married Helen Lorraine Dillingham, daughter of Warren
and Ferne Dillingham. He and his wife, Helen, lived in their home
overlooking Mink Lake from 1938 until Nov. 2006 when John entered Whispering
Pines Nursing Home. They were the first couple married at the Liberty Twp.
Bible Church. In 2006, the couple celebrated 69 years of marriage.
John is survived by his wife and four children, Maynard (Anita) and Curtis
(Marian) of Valparaiso, Verne Weimer of Dallas, Texas and Jack (Kathie) of
Grayslake, Ill.
Also surviving are his youngest sister, Luella Neckels of Foresthill,
Calif., grandchildren Michele (Jon) Tribole, Wash., Lorelei Weimer,
Chesterton, Jami (Bruce) Mathews, Ga., Bret, Lawrence, Ind., Pam (Ric) Davis
Ga., Wendy (John) Bovard, Kenya, Kristin Weimer, Ill., Jason (Jennifer)
Weimer Minn., Jordan (Lindsay) Weimer, Ill., 11 great grandchildren and one
great-great granddaughter.
He was preceded in death by nine brothers, George, Leslie, Byrl, Herbert,
Harwood, Ralph, Donald, Elton and Archie and two sisters, Lauraine Nelson
and Hazel Peterson.
In the early 1930s John and his brother Les, arrived in Liberty Twp. to
visit their extended family including their maternal grandfather, Benjamin
Hineline. Les and John decided to stay and soon established a fuel and
garage business at the corner of Highways 6 and 49.
With an eighth grade education, and his God-given talents in mechanics and
mathematics, John was readily able to find work and provide for his family.
During World War II, he worked in the defense industry at the Continental
Diamond Company in Valparaiso. Later he worked at McGill Manufacturing, the
Farm Bureau and two or three machine shops in the area. He completed the
last 15 years of his work career at Joy Mfg. Company in LaPorte as machine
shop foreman, retiring in 1976. For many of his working years, he was a
machinist by day and an auto mechanic by night.
In the community, John was a charter member of Liberty Bible Church, where
he gave generously of his time and talents. He enjoyed people and had a
heart for helping others. In the days of coal furnaces, he arrived before
Sunday school to stoke the fire and warm the building. He warmly and often
times humorously greeted newcomers at the church door, and visited many in
their homes. He also served in various capacities over the years, including
deacon, usher and Sunday school teacher. John used his auto repair skills in
ministry, performing missions of mercy on cars of those in need.
For decades he kept the church buses in running condition and for several
years drove the bus on its Sunday morning circuit. He was a long-standing
board member of the Porter County Child Evangelism Fellowship. John was a
Precinct Committeeman and Election Judge, relishing his duties of
registering voters and overseeing fair elections.
Funeral services, Pastor Robert Nienhuis officiating, will be at 11 a.m.
Friday, March 2 at Liberty Bible Church, 824 N. Calumet Ave., Chesterton.
Interment will be in Kimball Cemetery in Liberty Twp.
Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Thursday at Bartholomew Funeral Home, 102
Monroe St., Valparaiso.
Memorial donations may be made to the Liberty Bible Church or Christian
Haven Children’s Home, 12501 N. SR 49, Wheatfield, Ind. 46392.
For more information, please call 462-4102 or visit
www.bartholomewnewhard.com
to sign a guestbook for John.
Posted 2/28/2007
