June 2, 2019 – West Bend, WI –Bernard “Bernie” E. Beck of West Bend passed away on May 31, 2019 at Kathy Hospice. He was born in West Bend on November 22, 1938 to Rudolph and Malinda (Bauer) Beck.
He married Judith “Judy” Reinders on August 6, 1960 at St. Matthias Church, Nabob. They made their home in Nabob where they raised five children. In 2010, they sold their home in Nabob and moved to a condo in West Bend.
Bernie worked for 47 years at the Gehl Company being a member of Hexelbank Club. He also ran Bernie’s Lawn Care business for numerous people in the West Bend area. Along with his parents, they were a founding family of St. Frances Cabrini Parish. After his marriage, he joined St. Matthias Parish in Nabob, joining St. Lawrence Parish after St. Matthias closed. He was a charter member of the St. Lawrence/Resurrection Knights of Columbus, and also a member of the West Bend Moose Lodge.
He is survived by his wife Judy; children Linda Pfaff and her children Joseph and Nicholas; Mark (Sharon) Beck and his children Andrew, Jamie (Ben) Deppert and stepson Chad Nagel; Laura Sinclair and her children Gwyer, Cambria and Keygan; Paul (Brenda) Beck and their children Kaylee, Micah and Gage; grandchildren Nikki (Brandon) Spaeth, Katie Beck, and Adam Beck; and 2 great-grandsons Cayden and Justus.
Further survived by sister Pauline Beck (Phil Schumacher), sister-in-law Tolly Beck, in-laws Paul (Shirley) Reinders, Joseph (Marlene) Reinders, Teresa (Mathias) Stoffel, Mary Ann Mayer, Rita Bruckert, Alice (Peter) Schulteis, Alfred (Shari) Reinders, and Rose (Ray) Zingsheim, and Lorraine Boden; many nieces and nephews, other relatives, and friends.
Those that predeceased him were his son, David Beck; son-in-law Steve Sinclair, parents Rudolph and Malinda Beck, brother Claude Beck, sisters Lucy Beck and Barbara Klos, brother-in-law Alex Klos, in-laws Alfred and Olive Reinders, Cecilia and Ed Kroll, Monroe Beger, Arnella Reinders, Alex Reinders, Marilyn Reinders, Clara Boden, Leroy Boden, Ralph Bruckert and Lester Mayer.
Bernie enjoyed a lifetime of varied past times and hobbies. He relished being in the outdoors – camping when the kids were growing up, fishing, gardening, bicycling and sitting around the campfire at Hidden Ridge. He was creative in his metal work and woodworking (he was especially proud of his tongue drums). He also enjoyed word search puzzles and shooting the breeze while playing cards.
The family would like to thank all of the great doctors and nurses that took care of Bernie during his prolonged battle with cancer. He is now ringing the bells in heaven.
He will be dearly missed by his family and friends.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Bernie will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 5 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church, 4889 Hwy 175, Hartford, WI. Visitation will be at the church from 1 p.m. until the time of service. Burial will be on Thursday, June 6 at 10 a.m. at St Matthias Cemetery, Nabob.
The Schmidt Funeral Home in West Bend is serving the family.
