John Benke

John Ambrose Benke was born November 22, 1913, in Petersburg, Iowa the son of Albert and Caroline (Nefzger) Benke. He graduated from St. Francis Xavier High School with the class of 1930. On November 30, 1939, he was united in marriage to Helen D. Roling at St. Boniface Catholic Church in New Vienna, Iowa. He served in the US Army during WWII in the South Pacific Theater and was wounded when fighting in the Phillipines. John, his brother, Clarence and their brother-in-law, Lawrence Wessels, owned and operated B&W Appliance Company, from January 1949 until retiring in 1977. He was a member of American Legion Post 137. Surviving are 1 daughter, Joanne (Ron Helm) Benke-Helm of San Diego, CA; 1 son, Robert (Susan) Benke of Greeley, CO; 3 grandchildren: Lisa and Jonathan Helm and Jordan Benke; 1 sister-in-law: Carol Roling of Dubuque, and a brother-in-law, Frank Johnson of Galena, IL. John was preceded in death by his wife, Helen, 3 sisters and their husbands: Rose M. (Lawrence) Wessels, Leona (Clarence) Kennedy and Lorine (John) Wilhelm; a brother and his wife, Clarence (Nellie) Benke; 4 sisters-in-law: Alvina Johnson, Leona (Mike) Herting, Marcella (Joe) Oberbroeckling and Dorothy (Ray) Jasper, and 3 brother-in-law, Alphonse (Alberta) Roling, Alfred (Madonna) Roling and Edwin Roling. Friends may call from 2 - 8 p.m. Thursday, July 8, 2010 at the Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville where a parish scripture service will be held at 5 p.m. and an American Legion service will held at 7 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, July 9, 2010, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville with burial in the church cemetery. Officiating will be Rev. Robert Gross and military rites will be accorded by American Legion Post 137.