John A. Westgerdes, age 87, of 706 W. South St, Coldwater, Ohio, died at 1:25 AM on Monday, March 14, 2011 at Briarwood Village, Coldwater, Ohio. He was born August 26, 1923 in Dayton, Ohio to Edward Sr. & Helen (Wenz) Westgerdes. On June 09, 1951 he married Virginia (Tangeman) in Coldwater, Ohio and she survives in Coldwater. He is also survived by five children, David & Dory Westgerdes of Celina, Ohio, Thomas Westgerdes of Coldwater, Ohio, Mark & Brenda Westgerdes of Celina, Ohio, Richard & Jane Westgerdes of Celina, Ohio, and Cheryl & Daniel Hoyng of Coldwater, Ohio, nine grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, five step-grandchildren, two sisters, Maryann & Bernard Sampson of Columbus, Ohio and Sr. Elizabeth Westgerdes, CPPS of Coldwater, Ohio, and two sisters-in-law, Lucille Westgerdes and Rita Westgerdes both of Coldwater, Ohio. He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers, Edward Westgerdes, Jr., Robert Westgerdes, Raymond Westgerdes and Vincent Westgerdes, and a sister-in-law, Norma Westgerdes. He was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus Council 1991, the Coldwater American Legion and V.F.W. and served in the US Army during World War II. He was retired from Pax Machine. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 AM on Thursday, March 17, 2011 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Coldwater, Ohio with Fr. Richard Walling, officiating. Burial with military rites will follow in St. Elizabeth Cemetery, Coldwater Ohio. Friends may call at the Hogenkamp Funeral Home-Coldwater on Wednesday from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM and on Thursday from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Condolences may be left at hogenkampfh.com.
